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http://www.archive.org/details/eatingforstrengtOOholbrich 


Eating  for  Strength  ; 

OB, 

FOOD   AND  DIET  IN  THEIR  RELATION  TO 
HEALTH  AND   WORK, 

TOGETHER  WITH 

SEVERAL  HUJ^DRED  RECIPES  FOR    WHOLE- 
SOME FOODS  AND  DRIJfKS, 


By    M.    L.    HOLBROOK,    M.    D., 

PBOITESSOR  OF  HTGIKNE  IN  THE  NEW   YORK   MEDICAIj   COLIiEQB  AND  HOS- 

fitaij  for  women,  editor  of  the  "herald  of  HEAUTH," 
author  of  "  hygiene  of  the  brain,"  "  how  to 

STRENGTHEN  THE  MEMORY,"  "PARTURITION 
WITHOUT  PAIN,"  ETC.,    ETC. 


New  York: 
M.  L.   HOLBROOK  &  CO- 


COPrRlGHT  BY 
M.  L.  HOLBROOK,      • 
1888. 


PREFACE. 


In  no  peri^  of  the  world's  history  has  there  ever  been  so 
deep  an  interest  in  the  subject  of  foods  as  at  the  present.  At 
no  time  since  Adam  and  Eve  left  the  Garden  of  Eden  has 
agriculture  and  horticulture  been  so  perfect,  and  the  human 
race  supplied  with  so  many  choice  and  nourishing  articles  of 
diet.  And,  also,  at  no  time  have  so  many  been  engaged  in 
laborious  researches  on  the  nature  of  that  which  we  eat  and  its 
relations  to  health  and  work.  It  would  almost  seem  as  if  the 
time  had  nearly  arrived  when  mankind  would  eat  to  live, 
would  feed  themselves  so  as  to  nourish  their  bodies  most  per- 
fectly and  render  themselves  capable  of  the  most  labor,  and 
least  liable  to  disease. 

The  object  of  this  volume  is  to  present  the  most  recent  facts 
of  science  in  a  way  to  make  them  valuable  for  actual  use  in 
daily  life.  There  is  no  doubt  but  man  may  double  his  capa- 
pacity  for  work  and  for  enjoyment  by  improving  his  dietetic 
habits.  Many  have  already  done  this,  and  multitudes  more 
are  only  waiting  for  the  knowledge  which  will  help  them  to 
do  it.  A  thorough  understanding  of  the  different  divisions  of 
food  and  their  right  relation  to  the  needs  of  the  body  is  neces- 
sary, and  this  has  been  fully  stated.  Several  new  features 
have  been  introduced.  To  meet  the  requirements  of  that 
constantly  increasing  class  who  have  more  and  more  desire  so 
far  as  is  possible  to  draw  their  nourishment  from  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  carefully  and  elaborately  prepared  tables  have 
been  arranged  showing  just  how  much  of  each  particular 
food  one  needs  to  consume  in  order  to  provide  the  body  with 
the  required  amount  of  proteids,  carbo-hydrates  and  fats. 

123131 


PREFACE. 

These  tables  have  been  especially  prepared  for  this  work  and 
are  fall  of  interest  as  well  as  being  of  practical  value.  An- 
other interesting  feature  of  the  work  relates  to  the  cost  of  the 
different  articles  usually  consumed,  as  for  instance  the  cost  of 
proteids,  fats  and  carbo-hydrates  in  oatmeal,  beef,  mutton, 
corn,  eggs,  butter,  cheese,  beer,  etc.,  etc.  These  tables  are  so 
arranged  as  to  show  at  once  which  are  the  most  economical 
artisles  for  the  table  and  which  the  most  expensive,  and  will 
be  of  great  value  to  all  who  would  choose  their  food  wisely, 
and  also  for  those  who  desire  to  reduce  the  cost  of  living  to  a 
minimum  and  yet  nourish  themselves  perfectly. 

The  chapter  on  the  use  of  the  apple  as  a  means  of  preserv- 
ing health  and  the  one  on  the  grape  cure  will,  the  author 
believes,  mieet  a  need  long  felt,  as  will  also  what  has  been 
said  concerning  the  importance  of  the  thorough  mastication 
of  our  food. 

The  subject  of  drinks  has  also  been  treated  fully,  and  a 
very  large  number  of  recipes  for  wholesome  ones  given.  What 
has  been  said  on  this  subject  cannot  fail  to  prove  helpful  to 
those  who  are  in  doubt  on  many  points. 

The  directions  for  feeding  young  and  delicate  children  have 
in  practice  proved  most  satisfactory. 

The  time  is  near  when  a  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  diet 

will  be  considered  as  important  a  part  of  our  education  as 

a  knowledge  of  the  multiplication  table.     That  this  little 

work  may  help  to  hasten  this  time  is  the  sincere  desire  of  the 

author. 

M.  L.  H. 


COHTEiSTTS. 


CHAPTER  L 

The  Uses  of  Food: '. 0 

A  Happy  Illustration 11 


CHAPTER  II, 

Classi fication  of  Foods : 13 

Tbo  Proteids 13 

Fats 14 

The  Amyloids,  or  Carbo-Hydrates  20 

Starch 20 

Sugar 21 

Mineral  matter 22 

Water  34 

Amount  of  Water  Required  for  Men  and  Women 34 

Amount  of  Water  Required  for  Animals 35 

Amount  Required  for  the  Sick 35 

Purity  of  Water  36 

Distilled  Water 30 

Gaseous  Food— The  Atmosphere  ST 

Accessory  Foods 89 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Daily  Requirements  of  the  Body 43 

What  is  a  Day's  Work 43 

How  much  the  Heart  does 44 

Const  ituents  of  a  Sufficient  Diet 45 

Average  Diet  of  Farm  Laborers 48 

Diet  According- to  Work  done 48 

Composition  of  the  Body 51 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Digestion 53 

Mouth  Digestion— Mastication    55 

Stomach  Digestion 53 

Conditions  of  Perfect  Digestion 57 

Chewing  Food  Thoroughly 58 

The  Eat  Your  Food  Slow  Society 58 

Conditions  that  Favor  Digestion 59 


CHAPTER  F. 

The  Sources  of  our  Foods CI 

A  Practical  Chapter  from  a  Chemical  Standpoint 66 

Diet  for  Hard  Work 67 

"       "  Light  Work 67 

Normal  Weight  in  Proportion  to  Height— a  Table 68 

Table  Sho Tiding  Amount  of  P^oteids  to  the  Ounce  in  Principle  Foods.  • .  69 

Table  Showing  Carbo- Hydrates  in  each  Ounce  of 'Principle  Foods 70 

Table  Showing  Amount  of  Fats  in  each  Ounce  of  Principle  Foods 71 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Economy  of  Foods 75 

Tables  Showing  the  Relative  Cost  of  Nutriment  in  Principle  Foods 80 

A  Practical  Lesson  in  Economy 88 

How  to  Live  Well  at  Small  Expense 89 


CHAPTER  VII 

Simplicity  in  Living 93 

Feeding  Children 93 

An  Argument  for  Plain  Living  and  High  Thinking 94 

How  ouv  Great  Workers  Live 94 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Food  and  Intemperance 98 

Why  People  Want  Stimulants 99 

Q  he  Cook  and  Temperance 100 


CHAPTER  IX, 

Alimentary  Products  of  the  Vegetable  Kingdom 103 

Wheat 103 

A  Beautiful  Micros  ;opic  Object 1C4 


CONTENTS.  Vii 

Oats 105 

The  Most  Strengthening  Food 108 

The  Cooking  of  Oatmeal   109 

Oatmeal  Gruel  and  Milk Ill 

Barley 113 

Rye 112 

Indian  Com 113 

Rice 115 

Best  Method  of  Preparing  Rice 116 

Buckwheat 116 

Peas,  Beans  and  Lenti Is 1 17 

Composition  of  Peas,  Beans  and  Lentlls-a  Table 119 

The  Potato 120 

The  Sweet  Potato 121 

The  Onion 123 

Other  Roots 123 

The  Cabbage 123 

Spinach 123 

Rhubarb 123 

Celery 123 

Asparagus 123 

Lettuce 124 

Cress 124 


CHAPTER  X, 

Fruits: 125 

The  Apple,  its  Use  and  Healthfulness 127 

Grapes 132 

The  Nutritive  Value  of  Grapes 133 

Their  Physiological  Effects 134 

The  Grape  Cure 135 

Methods  of  the  Grape  Cure 138 

Choice  of  Grapes  for  the  Grape  Cure 143 

Other  Fruits 143 

Nuts 144 


RECIPES. 

Soups 145 

Porridges,  including  Mushes 148 

Rem^irks,  Rules  and  Recipes  for  Making  Good  Bread 149 

To  Cook  Eggs 161 

Preparations  of  Cheese 163 

Sandwiches 163 

Cooking  Vegetables 164 

Pies  and  Pie  Pastry 170 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

Custards 175 

Puddings 177 

Cakes 180 

Molded  Farinacea 182 

Miscellaneous  Dishes 183 

LiquidFoods 197 

Si mpl e  Beverages  from  Fruits 199 

Lemonades 200 

Drinks  from  Various  Substances 201 

Ices 204 

Milk 205 

Tea 231 

Cocoa 214 

Chocolate 215 

Methods  of  Preparing  Tea,  Coffee,  Cocoa,  etc 215 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE    USES    OF    FOOD. 

Why  do  human  beings  eat  ?  Why  do  all  animals, 
from  the  simplest  worm  to  the  most  civilized  man, 
depend  for  life  on  food  and  drink  ?  Why  does  a 
child  become  hungry,  and  if  deprived  of  food  be- 
yond a  certain  time,  become  ravenous  ?  Why  does 
a  hard-working  man  enjoy  his  food  so  well,  and  de- 
mand so  much  of  it  ?  Why  do  great  men  and  pow- 
erful thinkers  eat  so  abundantly  ?  Why  so  many 
millions  of  acres  of  land  devoted  to  agriculture  and 
horticulture  ?  Why  so  many  more  farmers  produc- 
ing food  than  people  of  any  other  occupation  ?  It 
is  because  food  is  so  necessary  to  life  and  health. 
What,  then,  is  the  use    which  it  performs  ? 

1.  It  furnishes  material  from  which  to  construct 
the  body.  The  child  receives  milk  from  its  mother's 
breast,  which  increases  its  size,  and  a  large  body  is 
the  result.  Farmers  increase  or  diminish  the  weight 
of  domestic  animals,  within  a  certain  limit,  by  in- 
creasing or  diminishing  the  food  supplied  to  them. 
The  development,  within  constitutional  limits,  to 
which  a  child  may  attain  is,  to  some  extent,  de- 
pendent on  the  supply  of  food  it  receives  and  di- 
gests. Abundance  of  food,  with  plenty  of  air,  exer- 
cise and  sleep,  insures  a  healthier  growth  than  a 
scanty  diet. 

1*  (9) 


10  USES  OF  FOOD. 

2.  Another  use  of  food  is  to  replenish  the  waste 
that  goes  on  in  the  body  from  its  daily  wear  and  tear. 
This  waste  varies  with  different  persons,  and  with 
the  amount  of  work  done.  Great  workers  wear  out, 
use  up  daily  several  pounds  of  blood.  New  food  is 
demanded  to  make  good  this  loss.  A  month  of  sick- 
ness sometimes  wastes  away  a  third  of  the  weight 
of  the  body ;  but  a  hearty  appetite  and  food  restore 
it  to  its  full  size.  There  are  men  of  powerful  frames 
who,  if  they  do  hard  work,  rapidly  waste  many 
pounds  of  their  avoirdupois,  and  require  muph  food 
to  replace  it.  Small  workers  and  lazy,  idle  people 
eat  less ;  and  there  are  many  corseted  and  inactive 
young  women,  and  idle  young  men,  who  waste  little 
of  the  tissue  of  the  body,  and  who  eat  little.  It  is  not 
a  bad  sign  to  see  healthy  people  eat  heartily ;  they 
must  do  it  to  work  and  live. 

3.  Another  use  of  food  is  to  maintain  the  heat  of 
the  body.  So  important  is  this,  that  it  has  been 
computed  that  four-fifths  of  our  nutriment  is  used 
to  maintain  a  bodily  temperature  of  98i  degrees. 
In  order  to  understand  the  heat-producing  power  of 
food,  let  any  one  go  in  cold  weather  without  eating 
for  a  day  and  still  continue  exposing  himself  to  the 
cold,  and  he  will  learn  that  food  will  warm  his  body 
more  effectually  than  clothing  or  fire. 

4.  Still  another  very  important  use  of  food  is  to 
furnish  force.  This  comes  in  no  other  way.  When 
plants  grow  they  store  up  the  energy  of  the  sun- 
shine, and  when  we  consume  these  plants  this 
energy  is  transferred  to  our  bodies.  It  is  manifested 
in  many  ways.  First,  in  the  form  of  motion  ;  then 
in  the  form  of  sensation :  feeling,  seeing,  hearing 
and  thinking.    Our  ability  to  do  any  of  these  things 


A  HAPPY  ILLUSTRATION.  11 

is  conferred  by  food.  The  body  has  the  peculiar 
power  of  abstracting  its  force  from  what  we  eat. 
Go  without  food,  and  all  these  functions  of  the 
body  gradually  die  away,  and  life  becomes  ex- 
tinct. To  illustrate.  Give  a  child  a  hickory  bow 
and  arrow.  He  bends  the  bow  on  its  string,  ad- 
justs the  arrow  and  pulls  the  string  back  a  few 
inches.  Now  what  has  he  done  ?  He  has  stored  up 
in  the  bow  a  part  of  the  strength  of  his  arm.  But 
how  did  he  get  that  strength  ?  The  sunshine  of  last 
summer  stored  it  up  in  the  bread  and  potatoes  he 
had  eaten.  His  body  has  the  power  to  unfasten  this 
force  and  apply  it  to  bending  the  bow.  When  he 
lets  go  of  the  string  the  arrow  flies  away,  and  that 
force  is,  so  far  as  he  is  concerned,  spent.  The  food 
we  eat  does  for  us  what  the  coal  does  for  the  engine 
on  the  railroad  track,  it  furnishes  the  motive  power; 
only  the  body  is  a  complicated  living  machine  and 
can  think  and  feel,  which  the  engine  cannot  do. 

To  recapitulate :  we  eat,  then,  to  increase  the  size 
of  the  body;  to  supply  the  waste  or  loss  by  its 
daily  wear  and  tear ;  to  maintain  a  proper  degree 
of  warmth  and  to  supply  the  energy  by  which  to  do 
work. 


CHAPTER   IL 

CLASSIFICATION    OF    FOODS. 

The  classification  of  foods  is  quite  simple.  All 
the  substances  used  come  under  one  of  the  follow- 
ing divisions : 

1.  Proteids,  or  albuminous  foods. 

2.  Fats,  sometimes  called  hydro-carbons. 

3.  Amyloids,  or  carbo-hydrates. 

4.  Mineral  matter. 

5.  Water. 

6.  Gaseous  food,  or  air. 

7.  Accessory  foods,  or  condiments. 

THE  PROTEIDS. 

The  proteids  are  also  known  as  albuminoids  and 
nitrogenous  substances.  Their  principle  use  is  to 
construct  and  repair  the  active  tissues  of  the  body 
and  to  furnish  material  out  of  which  to  form  the 
various  digestive  fluids,  as  the  saliva  of  the  mouth, 
the  gastric  juice  of  the  stomach,  the  bile  of  the 
liver,  and  juices  of  the  pancreas.  The  nerves,  the 
muscles  and  the  glands  are  composed  of  living  mat- 
ter, of  protoplasm,  and  cannot  be  built  up,  or  the 
glands  furnish  their  secretions  without  albuminous 
matter.  Every  structure  in  the  body  in  which  any 
form  of  force  is  manifested  is  mainly  built  up  of 

(13) 


14  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

these  proteids.     Muscular  tissue  is  a  good  example; 
the  brain  cells  are  also  examples. 

The  proteids  are  complex  bodies  and  contain  car- 
bon, 53  parts ;  oxygen,  21 ;  hydrogen,  7 ;  nitrogen, 
15,  and  sulphur  1.  The  proteids  of  the  body  have 
only  a  slight  affinity  for  oxygen,  and,  consequently, 
are  not  readily  consumed.  They  grow  old  in  time 
and  decay,  but  do  not  burn  up.  What  is  known  as 
the  protoplasm,  or  living  matter  of  our  bodies,  is 
composed  of  proteids,  and  we  all  know  how  living 
matter  resists  decay  and  change. 

The  principal  sources  of  proteids  are  the  muscu- 
lar parts  of  animals,  eggs  of  which  the  white  or 
albumen  is  almost  a  pure  proteid,  the  gluten  of 
grains,  the  casein  or  curd  of  milk  and  the  vegeta- 
ble casein  of  peas,  beans  and  cereals. 

The  proteids  are  digested  in  the  stomach,  this 
organ  not  digesting  either  starches  or  fats.  Diges- 
tion makes  them  very  soluble,  and  they  are  easily 
taken  up  through  the  walls  of  the  digestive  organs. 
In  their  soluble  condition  they  are  called  peptones 
instead  of  proteids.  If  they  were  to  remain  soluble 
while  in  the  blood  there  would  be  danger  of  their 
passing  out  through  the  kidneys,  and  so  they  are 
changed  again  to  proteids  in  the  blood. 

THE    FATS. 

The  fats  are  al^o  called  hydro-carbons.  They  con- 
tain some  oxygen,  but  never  enough  to  satisfy  the 
affinities  of  the  carbon  and  hydrogen.  They  are 
powerful  generators  of  heat.  An  ounce  of  fat  when 
burned  produces  about  two  and  half  times  as  much 
heat  as  dry  starch  or  sugar.  Some  idea  of  its  heat- 
ing properties  may  be  gained  by  the  fact  that  ten 


FAT  AND   ANIMAL  HEAT.  15 

grains  of  fat  burned  will  raise  the  temperature  of 
twenty-three  pounds  of  water  one  degree.  This 
would  give  sufficient  force  to  raise  18,000  pounds 
one  foot  high.  Their  uses  are  to  maintain  ani- 
mal heat  and  to  generate  force.  The  man  who 
does  a  hard  day's  work,  does  so  by  virtue  of  the 
fact  that  he  is,  so  far  as  his  labor  is  concerned, 
a  living  engine.  The  muscles  do  not  furnish 
the  strength,  they  only  transmit  it.  The  engine 
does  not  furnish  the  power;  that  comes  from  the 
steam  so  highly  charged  with  heat  from  the  burn- 
ing fuel. 

One  of  its  uses  is  to  prevent  the  loss  of  animal 
heat.     A  thick  layer  of  fat  is  very  useful  in  dimin- 
isliing  the  chances  of  catching  cold  on  exposure 
•to  drafts ;  and  where  the  coating  of  fat  under  the 
skin  is  deficient  or  absent  we  must  use  an  additional 
quantity  of  warmer  clothing.     A  fat  person  suffers 
less  from  the  cold,  other  things  being  equal,  than  a 
lean  one,  and  does  not  require  so  much  flannel  to 
keep  him  warm.     In  very  cold  latitudes  a  layer  of 
fat  under  the  skin  is  a  useful  protection ;  but  in  hot 
climates  it  becomes  oppressive,  as  we  may  see  by 
observing  corpulent  persons  or  fat  animals  during 
the  high  heat  of  summer.     In  many  animals,  es- 
pecially those  of  tropical  climates  where  the  sum- 
mer heat  is  great,  although  the  cold  of  winter  may 
also  be  considerable,  we  find  that  fat,   instead  of 
being  uniformly  distributed  over  the  body,  is  col- 
lected in  masses  in  certain  parts,  as  in  the  Brahmin 
bull  of  India,  in  the  yak  of  Tartary,  in  the  Ameri- 
*can  buffalo,  as  well  as  in  the  camel  of  Africa,  on 
whose  back  a  huge  lump  of  fat  is  found.    On  a  care- 
ful examination  of  these  lumps  of  fat,  especially  in 


r 


16  '  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

a  well  fed  camel,  we  find  them  firm  and  solid,  pro- 
jecting upwards  ;  but  at  times  it  appears  that  they 
lose  this  firm  solidity  and  become  limp,  swinging 
from  side  to  side  and  doubling  up  like  a  half  empty 
bag.  The  cause  of  this  is,  we  are  told,  that  when 
their  food  is  insufficient  the  hump  becomes  loose  and 
flabby,  a  large  proportion  of  fat  having  been  ab- 
sorbed. If  the  animal  be  kept  without  food  for  sev- 
eral days  this  protuberance  almost  entirely  disap- 
pears. If  the  animal  is  well  fed  again  the  hump  re- 
gains its  former  size.  What  has  become  of  this  fat? 
Some  has  undergone  combustion  to  keep  up  heat, 
while  the  remainder  may  have  been  used  to  supply 
the  waste  of  some  organ  of  the  body.  The  blood 
contains  about  one  half  of  one  per  cent,  of  fat ;  the 
muscles  from  three  to  four  per  cent.,  and  the  brain 
eight  or  nine  per  cent.  The  nerves  contain  much 
more,  sometimes  as  high  as  22  per  cent.  Its  use  is 
to  form  a  layer  around  the  conducting  part  to  iso- 
late it.  Fat  may  be  supplied  to  the  body  in  many 
ways,  especially  by  fatty  foods,  starch  and  sugar. 
These  are  converted  into  fat  within  the  organism. 

The  fatty  parts  of  the  body  are  not  always  of  the 
same  quality.  Those  accustomed  to  the  fattening 
of  animals  know  that  sometimes  the  fat  on  them  is 
soft  and  poor,  and  at  others  pure  and  hard,  depend- 
ing mainly  upon  the  kind  of  food  they  have  eaten 
Nurses  understand  that  some  foods  stick  fast,  while 
others  are  fickle  and  easily  squandered.  It  seems 
that  fats  laid  on  rapidly  are  not  so  permanent  as 
those  more  slowly  acquired.  One  of  the  causes  of 
consumption  is  the  insufficiency  of  fat  in  the  body.' 
Either  the  stomach  does  not  digest  enough,  or  the 
food  may  be  deficient  in  it.      Dr.  Hughes  Bennett 


DISLIKE  FOR  FATTY  FOOD.  17 

used  to  tell  his  students  that  a  frequent  cause  of 
consumption  was  the  high  price  of  butter  and  the 
great  abundance  of  pastry  cooks.     The  latter  Dr. 
Bennett  accused  of  causing  consumption  among  the 
upper  classes  by  disordering  the  digestion  of  young 
girls  with  pies,  pastry  and  other  things  that  spoil 
their  appetites  for  the  more  substantial  articles  of 
food.     Many  people  have  a  strong  dislike  to  fatty 
foods,  and  even  some  physicians  have  advocated 
that  this  was  a  natural  instinct ;  but  the  fact  that 
there  is  in  the  body  an  arrangement  for  the  diges- 
tion of  fatty  matter  is  a  strong  argument  in  favor 
of  its  use  in  a  suitable  amount.     Dr.  Brown  says : 
"There  are  many  children  who  refuse  to  eat  a  piece 
of  fat  meat.     They  will  eat  the  lean,  but  cut  off  the 
fat,  and  submit  to  punishment  rather  than  eat  it. 
The  instinct  of  the  child  is  perfectly  right,  and  its 
indications  are  not  to  be  disregarded."    Fat  swal- 
lowed under  compulsion  generally  disagrees  with  a 
child  and  makes  it  ill.     The  proper  thing  to  do  in 
such  cases  is  to  give  it  in  some  more  agreeable 
form.     Nuts  contain  a  sufficient  amount  of  oil ;  and 
sweet  fruits,  abundant  in  sugar,  may  to  some  ex- 
tent supply  its  place. 

If  a  lump  of  butter  is  swallowed  by  itself  it  will 
very  likely  make  one  sick,  but  spread  upon  bread 
it  can  be  taken  without  discomfort.  The  reason  of 
this  is  plain  :  we  get  the  oily  substance  in  a  finer  state 
of  subdivision,  so  that  it  is  more  easily  digested. 
A  lump  of  fat  swallowed  alone  would  melt  in  the 
stomach  and  float  about  there  without  being  digest- 
ed, would  begin  to  decompose  and  yield  acrid  bodies 
which  would  irritate  the  stomach  and  perhaps  cause 
severe  headache.    When  finely  comminuted  with 


18  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

bread  it  forms  a  creamy  mass,  which  passes  quickly 
into  the  duodenum  where  it  is  digested.  Many  a 
child  has  been  made  sick  by  a  piece  of  fat  bacon 
swallowed  with  only  a  small  piece  of  bread  and  a 
large  piece  of  butter. 

Fatty  foods  are  most  useful  in  bronchitis,  con- 
sumption and  nervous  diseases.  Hard  brain  work 
uses  up  a  great  amount  of  force,  and  this  is  largely 
supplied  by  the  consumption  of  the  fats,  starch  and 
sugar.  A  well  known  English  lawyer  always  takes 
a  meal  of  some  easily  digested  fatty  food  before 
making  a  great  intellectual  effort,  and  an  English 
physician  has  found  that  in  his  intellectual  work  he 
is  best  sustained  by  considerable  of  the  same  ma- 
terial. 

We  have  seen  that  the  nervous  system  contains 
much  fat,  and  we  may  imagine  that  if  the  food 
is  deficient  in  it  the  brain  will  suffer  Yery  thin 
people  are  more  likely  to  be  nervous  than  fat 
ones ;  and  it  is  said  that  Bantingism  practiced  to 
cure  corpulency  has  caused  many  persons  to  be- 
come very  nervous.  It  does  not  follow  because  fat 
is  necessary  that  people  should  eat  all  they  can  of 
it.  It  should  be  taken  in  reasonable  quantities 
and  always  thoroughly  comminuted  and  mixed 
with  other  foods  which  will  divide  it  up  into  very 
small  particles,  else  it  may  cause  indigestion  and 
pass  out  of  the  system  unabsorbed.  Good  butter, 
cream,  olive  oil  and  nuts  are  rich  in  fat,  and  in  a 
form  agreeable  to  take.  Potatoes,  corn,  oatmeal 
and  eggs,  containing  starch,  are  all  fat  producers. 
We  once  advised  a  boy  who  rejected  every  form  of 
fat  usually  found  on  his  mother's  table,  to  eat  freely 
of  hickory  nuts,  and  it  proved  to  be  very  good 


FORMULA  FOR  FOOD.  19 

advice  for  him.  That  popular  nut,  the  peanut, 
which  even  many  physicians  condemn  as  indiges- 
tible, has  been  of  like  service  to  others. 

The  chemical  formula  for  fat  is,  carbon  10,  hydro- 
gen 18,  oxygen  1.  Its  original  source  is  the  vege- 
table kingdom,  in  which  it  abounds.  Palm  oil, 
olive  oil,  cottonseed  oil,  flax-seed  oil,  cocoanut  oil, 
peanut  oil,  etc.,  are  examples. 

Fat  is  a  very  concentrated  fuel  food,  and  is  not  in 
any  way  digested  in  either  the  mouth  or  stomach, 
but  in  the  duodenum,  where  it  is  emulsionized,  or 
broken  up  into  very  minute  globules  capable  of  be- 
ing passed  through  the  absorbent  vessels. 

Fat  often  disturbs  delicate  stomachs,  and  persons 
with  such  should  choose  the  most  agreeable  kind. 

Fat  frequently  become  rancid,  and  in  this  state 
is    very  injurious  to  the  civilized  stomach,  causing 
dyspepsia,  sick  headache,  heartburn,  etc. 

Besides  these  important  and  principal  functions  of 
fat,  it  has  minor  uses  in  the  processes  of  digestion, 
assimilation  and  nutrition,  and,  it  is  believed,  in  the 
formation  of  bile.  Food  digests  more  readily  if  a 
certain  amount  of  fat  is  mixed  with  it.  It  also  plays 
an  important  part  in  the  formation  of  cells,  blood 
corpuscles,  and  even  the  generation  of  blood.  It  is 
present  in  large  quantities  in  the  tubules  of  the 
nerves,  insulating  them  so  that  the  nervous  force  is 
not  dissipated,  but  travels  along  the  nerve  *to  its 
center;  and  in  all  the  nervous  centers  serving  an 
important  function  there. 

The  distribution  of  it  in  every  tissue,  and  its  ac- 
cumulation around  certain  organs,  serves  to  fill  up 
the  cavities  of  the  body  and  give  roundness  to  the 
form,  equalizing  the  external  pressure  diminishing 


20  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

friction;  and,  by  its  bad  conducting  property,  re- 
taining animal  heat.  Fat,  therefore,  must  ever  be 
regarded  as  highly  important  to  the  physical  devel- 
opment of  the  body,  and  any  system  of  diet  that 
excludes  it  is  faulty  and  to  be  condemned. 

THE  AMYLOIDS  OR  CARBO-HYDRATES. 

This  class  of  foods  is  best  represented  by  starch 
and  sugar.  They  are  called  amyloids  because  this 
word,  from  the  Greek,  means  resembling  starch. 
They  are  also  called  carbo-hydrates  because  chemi- 
cally composed  of  carbon  and  water.  The  chemical 
formula  for  starch  is  carbon,  6 ;  hydrogen,  10 ; 
oxygen,  5.  That  of  sugar  is  slightly  different ; 
cane  sugar  being,  carbon,  12;  hydrogen,  11;  oxy- 
gen, 11,  and  grape  sugar  being,  carbon,  12 ;  hydro- 
gen, 12,  and  oxygen,  12. 

STARCH. 

Starch  and  sugar  have  their  origin  in  the  veg- 
etable kingdom.  Starch  abounds  in  all  the  grains, 
in  rice,  in  peas  and  beans,  and  in  the  common 
and  sweet  potato.  It  is  also  present  in  many 
other  substances.  Starch  is  insoluble  in  water,  and 
this  is  a  wise  provision  of  nature;  otherwise  it 
would  be  easily  dissolved  by  the  rains  and  washed 
out  of  plants.  In  its  insoluble  state  it  is  useless  as 
a  food,  but  during  the  process  of  digestion  it  is  con- 
verted first  into  soluble  dextrine,  which  has  the 
same  chemical  formula  as  grape  sugar,  and  a  little 
later  into  grape  sugar  itself.  The  change  takes 
place  partly  in  the  mouth  by  the  action  of  the  saliva 
during  the  process  of  mastication,  but  owing  to  the 


SUGAK.  21 

acidity  of  the  gastric  juice  of  the  stomach  the 
digestion  of  starch  ceases  soon  after  it  reaches  this 
organ.  After  the  food  has  been  passed  into  the  duo- 
denum, where  the  secretions  are  akaline,  the  diges- 
tion of  its  starch  proceeds  very  rapidly  until  it  has 
been  completely  converted  into  grape  sugar,  in 
which  state  it  is  soluble  and  easily  absorbed.  If  the 
food  has  not  been  properly  masticated  and  mixed 
with  saliva  in  the  mouth  it  is  liable  to  embarrass 
the  stomach  and  cause  indigestion ;  indeed  this  is 
one  of  the  most  fruitful  sources  of  dyspepsia.  On  . 
the  other  hand,  if  the  food  has  been  thoroughly 
masticated  and  allowed  to  remain  in  the  mouth 
until  it  has  been  converted  into  a  milk-like  condi- 
tion, even  raw  and  uncooked  starch  is  so  thor- 
oughly changed,  as  not  to  disturb  the  digestion  of 
the  albuminoids  as  it  goes  on  in  the  stomach. 

It  is  well  known  that  many  persons  are  not  able 
to  digest  the  starch  of  bread.  By  toasting  it,  how- 
ever, the  heat  changes  it  into  dextrine,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  saliva  does.  A  little  more  chewing 
would  accomplish  the  same  result. 

SUGAR. 

Sugar,  although  very  different  in  its  character  and 
nature  from  starch,  is  a  carbo-hydrate.  Sugar  may 
be  divided  into  crystaline  or  cane  and  into  glucose 
or  grape  sugar.  It  is  the  food  of  young  plants  and 
is  found  in  all  young  shoots.  It  is  soluble  and  does 
not  need  to  be  digested  ;  but  it  is  believed  tha,t  cane 
sugar  is  converted  into  grape  sugar  in  the  alimen- 
tary canal.  Experiments  made  by  Sir  William 
Roberts,  M.  D.,  go  to  show  that  considerable  sugar 


22  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

in  food  taken  into  a  healthy  stomach  does  not  re- 
tard digestion. 

The  carbo-hydrates  form  a  most  important  part  of 
our  food  and  are  contained  in  nearly  everything  we 
eat.  They  are  fuel  foods  and  supply  animal  heat. 
They  are  also,  like  fats,  an  important  source  of  the 
force  or  strength  of  the  body. 

HEATING     POWER    OF     TEN     GRAINS    OF    THE    VARIOUS 

SUBSTANCES    IN    THEIR    NATURAL    STATE. 

Lbs.  of  water  raised  18  F. 

Grape  sugar 8.42 

Lump  sugar 8.61 

Starch  from  Arrow-root       .        .        .        .10.06 

Butter 18.60 

Beef  fat   . 20.91 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  fat  is  more  than 
twice  as  valuable  a  heat-producing  agent  as  starch. 

There  is  also  the  same  difference  in  the  amount 
of  work  these  substances  will  accomplish  when 
burned,  as  the  following  table  will  show  : 

MOTIVE    POWER    OF    TEN    GRAINS    OF    THE    SUBSTANCE 

IN    ITS    NATURAL    STATE. 

Lbs.  lifted  one  foot  high. 

Grape  sugar 6,500 

Lump  sugar 6,647 

Arrow-root .7,766 

Butter 14,441 

Beef  fat 16,142 

MINERAL  MATTER. 

We  read  in  the  Bible  that  God  created  man  out 
of  the  dust  of  the  earth.  Whether  this  is  to  be  in- 
terpreted literally  or  figuratively  I  leave  to  theolo- 


ONE  ORGAN  DIFFERS  FROM  ANOTHER.  23 

gians  to  decide.  For  the  scientist  it  has  plainly  a 
symbolical  significance.  The  materials  of  whicli 
our  bodies  are  composed  are  partly  earthy,  and  it 
is  not  possible  to  think  of  them  as  composed  with- 
out earthy  substances.  We  call  these  constituents 
salts,  and  if  they  were  not  present  in  our  food  life 
could  hardly  be  continued  as  at  present. 

There  is  a  very  simple  method  by  which  any  one 
can  obtain  the  salts  of  any  organism.  We  have 
but  to  burn  that  body  and  most  of  them  remain 
as  ashes.  Whatever  belongs  to  the  organice  world 
flies  off  in  vapor  and  smoke.  The  same  result  is 
reached  by  the  slow  process  of  decomposition.  The 
salts  remain  while  the  organic  part  of  the  organ- 
ism escapes  into  the  atmosphere. 

Only  a  limited  number  of  minerals  take  part  in  the 
formation  of  our  bodies.  Each  organ  has  a  com- 
position of  its  own.  The  same  parts  in  different 
men  and  animals  are  of  nearly  the  same  composi- 
tion, but  one  organ  differs  from  another  in  a  slight 
degree.  The  bones,  the  hearts,  the  stomachs  of  all 
animals  are  nearly  the  same,  but  the  composition 
of  the  heart  and  stomach  in  the  same  person  differs. 

These  facts  prove  the  great  importance  of  the 
mineral  matter  of  our  food.  Had  each  organ  the 
same  composition  a  less  variety  of  mineral  matter 
would  suffice ;  but  as  each  demands  a  special  salt 
for  itself  there  must  be  considerable  variety.  In 
one  organ  is  needed  the  salts  of  potash ;  in  another, 
those  of  soda  or  phosphorus.  Another  reason  for 
variety  is  the  fact  that  the  processes  of  osmose 
and  endosmose,  or  the  exchange  of  fluids  inside 
and  outside  the  cells,  depend  largely  on  the  fact 
that  the  constituents  of  the  fluids  on  one  side  of 


24  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

the  walls  of  these  structures  differ  from  those  on 
the  other  side.  Without  this  difference  no  change, 
or  scarcely  any,  would  take  place,  and  the  growth 
and  nutrition  of  each  part  would  come  to  a  stand- 
still for  want  of  new  and  appropriate  material. 

Professor  Forster,  of  Munchen,  has  made  a  large 
number  of  experiments  to  discover  the  importance 
of  mineral  matter  in  our  food.  Two  pigeons  were 
taken  for  one  experiment  and  fed  on  food  contain- 
ing every  other  requisite  :  albumen,  carbo-hydrates, 
etc.,  but  entirely  freed  from  all  mineral  matter. 
These  pigeons  took  their  food  regularly,  but  soon 
lost  all  their  liveliness  and  sat  dumb  and  motion- 
less on  the  bars  of  their  cages.  After  the  tenth  day 
they  ate  but  little  and  lost  in  flesh.  On  the  twenty- 
fourth  day  one  of  them  had  a  fit,  and  both  refused 
to  eat.  He  then  fed  them  by  compulsion.  One 
died  on  the  twenty-sixth  day  by  a  return  of  the  fit, 
and  the  other  lived  on  to  the  thirty-first  day,  when 
it  also  had  a  fit  from  which  it  did  not  recover.  An 
examination  of  the  bodies  of  the  pigeons  revealed 
no  traces  of  any  disturbance  of  digestion. 

He  then  took  a  dog  and  fed  him  in  the  same  man- 
ner. He  soon  showed  signs  of  weariness,  lay  sad 
and  dull  in  his  corner,  had  sudden  fits  as  of  mad- 
ness, became  weak  and  uncertain  in  his  motions, 
trembled  and  showed  signs  of  nervousness,  became 
weaker  and  weaker  till  he  could  scarcely  crawl, 
and  still  there  was  no  disturbance  in  the  digestion 
of  his  food. 

Another  pigeon  was  taken  and  fed  on  food  free 
from  mineral  matter  by  compulsion.  It  died  in 
thirteen  days,  and  yet  an  examination  of  its  body 
showed  that  it  had  been  well  nourished  and  the 


EXPERIMENTS  ON  ANIMALS.  25 

organs  were  sound.  The  food  had  apparently  been 
well  digested.  The  absence  of  mineral  matter  had 
not  prevented  digestion  until  after  several  days, 
but  had  caused  death.  The  animals  had  all  shown 
muscular  weakness  and  trembling,  and  in  one  case 
a  sort  of  paralysis,  as  if  the  spinal  cord  and  brain  had 
been  affected.  The  nervous  system  suffered  most;  in- 
deed, it  was  apparent  that  the  nervous  weakness 
was  caused  by  the  absence  of  mineral  salts,  and  we 
must  from  this  look  on  them  as  necessary  to  excite 
and  enliven  the  brain  and  nerves,  and  especially 
promote  nutrition  and  secretion.  We  know  that 
living  a  long  time  on  pickled  meat,  salt  pork  or 
corned  beef  causes  a  sort  of  scurvy  which  is  only 
cured  by  the  use  of  fresh  vegetables  and  fruit. 
Now,  the  brine  used  to  preserve  the  flesh  has  the 
power  to  draw  from  the  meat  if s  mineral  constitu- 
ents which  the  fresh  vegetables  replace. 

Dr.  Forster's  investigations  gave  one  other  re- 
sult. He  found  that  the  animals  fed  by  compulsion 
on  food  freed  from  its  mineral  matter  died  sooner 
than  those  not  fed  at  all.  The  explanation  he  gives 
for  this  is,  that  if  no  food  is  given  the  body  is  nour- 
ished on  itself,  and,  consequently,  a  supply  of  min- 
eral matter  is  obtained  from  the  decomposed  flesh 
of  the  body  ;  but  when  nourished  on  food  free  from 
salts  there  is  no  demand  from  the  body  for  albumen 
and  carbo-hydrates,  and  so  no  mineral  matter  is 
received  from  its  decomposition.  The  salts  of  our 
food  are  more  necessary  to  the  growing  organ- 
ism than  for  the  adult.  They  may  be  divided  into 
two  kinds— the  fixed  and  the  non-fixed.  The  for- 
mer includes  those  firmly  united  to  the  tissues  of 

2 


26  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

the  bones  ;  the  latter  those  dissolved  and  circulating 
in  the  blood. 

The  excess  of  salts  does  not  make  tissues  richer 
,  in  them,  because  this  excess  is  excreted  almost  im- 
mediately, except,  perhaps,  in  the  case  of  persons 
advanced  in  years,  whose  powers  of  excretion  are 
weakened  and  wlw)se  lime  salts  may  accumulate  in 
excess  and  cause  harm. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  salts  which 
are  found  in  our  tissues.  We  find  the  following 
always  present :  potash,  soda,  lime,  magnesia  and 
iron.  In  part  these  minerals  are  in  union  with 
chlorine  and  in  part  with  carbonic  acid,  but  most- 
ly with  phosphorus  acid.  In  the  bones  the  lime 
salts  are  more  abundant  and  important.  For 
the  other  organs  the  potash  and  soda  salts  are 
necessary.  Especially  important  are  the  potash 
salts  for  the  muscular  tissues ;  for  the  serum  of  the 
blood  the  soda  salts  are  most  important.  In  the 
blood  corpuscles  potash  salts  and  iron  are  predomi- 
nant. Scarcely  a  trace  of  potash  is  found  in  the 
serum  of  the  blood.  These  subtances  are  all  de- 
rived from  our  food  and  drink ;  the  only  one  added 
artificially  is  chloride  of  soda,  or  common  salt. 
This,  too,  is  found  in  the  food,  but,  apparently,  in 
quantities  too  small  for  the  requirements  of  the 
system. 

The  bones  are  built  mainly  of  phosphate  of  lime, 
phosphate  of  magnesia  and  carbonate  of  lime ;  the 
former  constituting  the  principal  part  of  their 
earthy  constituents.  The  phosphoric  acid  and  pot- 
ash constitute  an  essential  mineral  element  of  the 
juices  of  the  flesh  and  are  dissolved  in  them.  One 
may  notice  on  cooked  beef  a  white  incrustation 


EXPERIMENTS  ON  LAMBS.  27 

over  its  surface  when  it  comes  to  the  table.  This  is 
the  phosphate  of  magnesia,  formed  by  a  union  of 
the  phosphoric  acid  in  the  flesh  with  the  lime  and 
magnesia  in  the  water  in  which  the  meat  has 
been  boiled. 

Phosphoric  acid  is  the  most  abundant  of  all  the 
minerals  of  the  body,  and  it  is  also  most  abundant 
in  the  food  of  the  vegetable-eating  animals. 

Experiments  have  been  made  to  discover  if  one 
salt  might  be  substituted  for  another  in  the  body, 
but  without  success.  Three  growing  lambs  were 
taken  for  this  experiment.  One  was  fed  on  food 
deficient  in  phosphoric  acid,  another  on  food  defi- 
cient in  lime,  and  a  third  was  fed  normally.  The  first 
two  became  emaciated  and  at  the  end  of  twenty- 
four  days  were  near  their  end,  when  all  three  were 
slaughtered.  There  was  no  great  difference  in 
the  composition  of  the  bones  of  any  of  them,  only 
this  :  those  of  the  poorly  fed  animals  were  less  rich 
in  fat  and  less  perfectly  developed. 

In  some  parts  of  Germany  no  water  is  given  to 
children  until  it  has  been  boiled  to  kill  the  germs  of 
any  disease  present.  This  practice  has  certain  ad- 
vantages and  certain  disadvantages  for  the  poor, 
where  food  is  not  abundant.  The  boiling  water  de- 
posits on  the  kettle  its  lime,  and  this  is  a  loss  of  so 
much  mineral  matter.  It  kills  the  germs,  which  is 
beneficial.  If  the  child  is  suitably  fed  no  harm  is 
done,  but  a  positive  benefit ;  but  if  not  well  fed  it  is 
a  loss  to  the  bones  to  lose  the  lime  in  the  water. 
Pure,  fresh  water  from  springs  does  not  contain 
germs,  and  if  it  is  used  there  is  no  advantage  in 
boiling  it.  This  objection  would  not  have  any  force 
in  our  country  where  food  is  so  abxindant. 


28  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

Let  us  now  look  at  the  potash  and  soda  salts. 
Potash  is  a  very  remarkable  material;  phosphate 
of  potash  is  an  essential  constituent  of  the  muscles 
and  also  of  the  blood  corpuscles.  In  the  serum  of 
the  blood,  however,  it  is  an  abnormal  constituent, 
causing  paralysis  of  the  heart,  and  frequently  sud- 
den death.  One  may,  without  especial  danger,  take 
chlorate  or  carbonate  of  potash  through  the  stcfen- 
ach,  as  is  often  the  case  by  prescriptions  of  phy- 
sicians. The  same  dose,  or  even  a  less  one,  how- 
ever, introduced  directly  into  the  circulation  causes 
death.  A  dog  has  been  killed  instantly  by  the  in- 
jection of  only  one  decigramme  of  the  chlorate  of 
potash  into  an  artery. 

Bunge  experimented  on  dogs  with  flesh  extract 
and  found  that,  according  to  the  size  of  the  ani- 
mal, a  dose  of  from  15  to  25  grammes  was  deadly. 
Now,  25  grammes  of  flesh  extract  contain  2.5 
grammes  of  phosphate  of  potash,  and  2.3  grammes 
of  this  substance  given  to  a  dog  caused  death,  ac- 
companied by  the  same  symptoms  as  with  25 
grammes  of  flesh  extract.  Johannus  Ranke  says 
that  potash  is  a  substance  which,  if  it  accumulates 
in  the  flesh  cells  or  nerve  cells,  causes  irritation  of 
the  muscles  and  paralysis  of  the  nerves. 

We  find  here  a  riddle.  How  is  it  that  this  material 
is  a  necessary  constituent  of  the  firm  material  of  our 
bodies,  but  so  deadly  in  the  serum  of  our  blood  ?  Dr. 
Bunge  suggests  that  the  potash  and  soda-salts  neu- 
tralize each  other,  as  is  the  case  when  mixed  in  the 
laboratory,  and  allowed  to  crystalize,  new  unions 
being  formed,  one  being  chlorate  of  potash  and  the 
other  carbonate  of  soda. 

Another  fact  comes  to  light  in  this  investigation, 


WHY  SALT  IS  NECESSARY.  20 

that  the  plant-eating  animals  require  more  common 
salt  than  the  flesh-eating  ones.  Some  of  them  are 
so  greedy  for  salt  that  they  visit  salt  licks  to  obtain 
it,  which  is  never  the  case  with  carnivorous  animals. 
Now,  if  we  compare  the  food  of  the  flesh-eaters 
with  that  of  the  herbivora  we  find  about  the  same 
amount  of  chloride  of  soda  (common  salt),  but  the 
amount  of  potash  salts  in  the  food  of  vegetable- 
eating  animals  is  from  two  to  four  times  as  great. 
Bunge  suggests  that  the  reason  why  the  vegetable- 
eaters  require  more  salt  is  to  neutralize  the  great 
excess  of  potash  salts,  which  we  have  seen  may  be 
very  injurious ;  or  may  not  the  potash  draw  so 
heavily  on  the  chloride  of  soda  in  the  body  as  to 
make  the  addition  of  it  in  our  food  necessary  in 
order  to  maintain  the  equilibrium  of  the  body  ?  In 
order  to  test  this  question  scientifically,  Bunge 
made  an  experiment  on  liimself.  First,  he  ate  food 
for  ^ye  days  with  such  exactness  as  to  bring  the 
excretion  of  the  salts  to  a  regular  and  constant 
amount.  On  the  fifth  day  he  added  to  his  food 
eighteen  grammes  of  phosphate  of  potash.  Al- 
though he  had  not  added  any  chloride  of  soda  there 
was  not  only  an  immediate  increase  of  excretion  of 
potash  salts,  but  of  soda  salts  also.  Repeated  ex- 
periments gave  the  same  results.  He  estimated 
that  by  the  addition  of  twelve  grammes  of  potash 
salts  to  the  food,  nearly  half  of  the  soda  salts  of 
the  blood  would  be  extracted.  This,  he  thinks, 
proved  his  hypothesis.  Potash  in  small  quantities 
withdraws  from  the  body  chlorine  and  soda,  both 
constituents  of  common  salts,  and  this  requires 
the  addition  of  it  to  our  food. 
We  will  now  compare  a  f e^"  principal  articles  of 


30 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 


food  and  see  the  relative  amount  of  potash  and  soda 
salts  therein ;  and  see,  also,  how  deficient  some  of 
them  are  in  soda,  and  how  excessive  is  the  potash 
in  others. 


Potash  Salts. 

Soda  Salts. 

Rice    . 

.    1.04    grammes. 

0.028    grammes 

Apples  . 

10.6 

0.070           " 

Beans 

.    12. 

0.16-0.18     " 

Strawberries 

22. 

0.20            " 

Wheat 

.      4.7-5.8 

c 

0.14-0.32    " 

Peas 

6.-68 

0.19-0.30    " 

Rye     . 

.      5.7-6.1 

0.07-0.45    '* 

Potatoes 

20.28 

0.32-0.58     " 

Mother's  Milk 

.      5.3-6 

0.91-2.2      " 

Cow's  Milk     . 

9.1-17 

1.1-10 

From  this  it  may  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  all  veg- 
etables contain  less  soda  than  milk;  and  they  all 
contain,  rice  excepted,  more  potash  than  this  arti- 
cle. If  potash,  as  shown  by  Bunge,  withdraws  so- 
da from  the  body,  it  may  be  seen  that  the  addition 
of  common  salt  to  the  food  poor  in  soda  is  a  scien- 
tific necessity. 

We  also  see  why  a  babe  nourished  on  its  mother's 
milk  does  not  require  the  addition  of  common  salt. 
Its  food  contains  less  potash  salts  and  more  soda 
salts  than  almost  any  other  article  of  food. 

Liebig  remarked  that  there  seemed  to  be  a  popu- 
lar instinct  to  add  more  salt  to  those  articles  of  food 
which  were  rich  in  starch,  as,  for  instance,  wheat 
meal,  peas  and  beans,  and  it  seems  that  these  are 
the  very  ones  which  contain  most  potash. 

Let  us  now  look  at  this  subject  from  another 
standpoint,  and  assume  that  only  100  grammes  of 
albumen  is  necessary  daily  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  body,  and  if  we  estimate  the  amount  of  potash 


SALT  ON  POTATOES.  31 

in  the  different  kinds  of  food  necessary  to  furnish 
them  would  contain,  we  have  the  following : 

Rice 1.24   grammes. 

Wheat  and  Rye    .        .  2.-4.5  " 

Peas  and  Beans        .        .  4.5  " 

Barley    ....  4.9-5.39  " 

Cow's  Milk         .        .        .  4.4-4.7  " 

Woman's  Milk       .        .  4.8-5.3  " 

Potatoes     ....  42.  " 

We  see  that  rice  is  very  deficient  in  potash  and 
soda.  One  who  nourished  himself  on  it  would  never 
suffer  from  an  excess  of  potash  salts,  for  it  would 
not  withdraw  from  the  hody  soda  and  chlorine. 
And  it  may  be  remembered  that  rice  food  can  be 
eaten  and  enjoyed  without  salt.  Junghuhm  states 
that  whole  nations  of  rice-eating  people  take  this 
food  without  salt,  and  only  with  the  addition  of 
pepper.  It  is  true  that  Europeans  and  Americans 
do  not  relish  rice  without  this  condiment.  It  is 
not  a  physiological  necessity,  however,  but  a  habit 
which  induces  its  use. 

On  the  other  hand,  how  would  it  be  with  a  per- 
son living  on  potatoes  ?  He  would  take  daily  forty- 
two  grammes  of  potash,  or  over  thirty  times  more 
than  he  who  lived  on  rice.  We  said  previously  that 
twelve  grammes  of  potash  were  sufficient  to  with- 
draw half  the  soda  from  the  blood.  How,  then, 
with  42  grammes  ?  And  in  practice  we  know  that 
large  quantities  of  salt  is  a  physiological  necessity 
for  those  who  live  mainly  on  potatoes. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  remarked  that  pot- 
ash salts  in  large  quantities  affect  unfavorably  the 
mucus  membrane  of  the  digestive  tract,  and  es- 
pecially the  stomach.     Consequently,  all  those  who 


32  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

suffer  from  weakness  of  the  stomach  should  avoid 
potatoes  and  substitute  rice  instead.  Rice  is  also 
more  easily  digested  than  potatoes  for  other  rea- 
sons. It  contains  less  cellular,  or  woody  and  indi- 
gestible matter,  enclosing  the  starch  cells. 

One  writer  on  food  (Mulder)  goes  so  far  in  his 
opposition  to  potatoes  as  an  article  of  diet,  as  to  de- 
clare it  would  be  a  blessing  to  the  race  to  banish 
them  from  the  planet  and  substitute  rice  instead. 

Dr.  Bunge  has  collected  facts  concerning  the  use 
of  salt  among  various  people.  He  finds  that  those 
who  live  mainly  on  flesh,  as  hunters,  fishermen  and 
nomadic  tribes,  do  not  care  for  salt.  Of  the  Samoy- 
den  he  says:  *'They  know  nothing  of  bread  and 
but  little  of  roots.  Flesh  and  fish  constitute  their 
daily  food.  The  use  of  salt  is  unknown  though  easi- 
ly attainable  from  the  sea.  The  Tungusen  eat  no 
raw  flesh,  but  cook  it  in  fresh  water  and  use  no  salt 
on  it.  The  Dolganen  and  Juralkan,  in  North  Sibe- 
ria, possess  many  salt  mines,  but  they  never  use 
salt,  unless  as  a  medicine.  Their  food  is  fish  and 
reindeer  flesh." 

Wrange  writes  concerning  the  Tschuktschen : 
*'  Their  food  is  flesh,  and  they  use  no  salt,  but  have 
actual  repugnance  to  it." 

Prof.  Schwartz  lived  in  the  land  of  the  Tungu- 
sen three  years ;  lived  on  the  flesh  of  wild  birds 
and  reindeer  without  the  addition  of  salt,  and  felt 
no  need  for  it. 

There  are  tribes  of  flesh-eating  men  in  both  tro- 
pical Indies  and  Africa  who  use  no  salt ;  they  even 
laugh  at  those  who  do  use  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  most  of  the  native  tribes  of 
Africa  cultivate  the  soil.     Mungo  Park  says ;  *'  The 


AFRICAN  CRAVING  FOR  SALT.  33 

Mandigos  breakfast  early  on  a  porridge  made  of 
meal  and  water,  flavored  with  the  rind  of  tamarind 
to  give  it  relish.  About  two  they  eat  a  meal  con- 
sisting of  pudding  made  of  corn  meal,  milk  and 
vegetable  butter.  Their  chief  meal  is  eaten  late  at 
night,  and  consists  of  broth  made  with  corn  meal, 
wheat  meal  with  vegetables,  with  sometimes  a  little 
flesh  and  vegetable  butter.  They  are  principally 
vegetarians."  Concerning  salt,  he  says:  **They 
have  a  great  craving  for  it.  If  a  child  gets  a  piece 
of  rock  salt  from  a  European  it  eats  it  as  our  chil- 
dren do  sugar.  The  poor  classes  look  upon  a  man 
who  can  afford  salt  as  a  rich  man."  Park's  own 
experience  was  that  he  had  a  painful  craving  for 
salt  which  could  not  be  described.  On  the  west 
coast  of  Africa  a  man  would  sell  his  wife  or  child 
for  salt.  A  war  for  a  salt  spring  between  different 
tribes  is  not  uncommon.  To  them  salt  is  no  luxury, 
but  a  necessity.  On  the  other  hand,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  many  persons  who  have  adopted  a  wise, 
nutritious  vegetable  diet,  consisting  largely  of  nuts, 
fruit  and  grains,  either  partially  or  with,  perhaps, 
eggs  and  milk,  abstain  from  salt,  as  they  believe, 
to  advantage,  and  it  is  pretty  certain  that  a  major- 
ity of  people  consume  far  too  much  of  it,  more  as 
a  condiment  than  to  meet  physiological  needs. 
Something  yet  has  to  be  learned  on  this  import- 
ant subject. 

Many  of  the  facts  and  statements  of  this  chapter 
are  drawn  from  German  sources,  and  especially 
from  a  little  work  entitled,  *^Die  Modernen  Prin- 
cipien  der  Ernahrung,"  nach  v.  Pettenkofer  and 
Yoit,  von  Dr.  Aug.  Guckerson,  a  most  valuable 
little  work,  putting  in  popular  language  the  scien- 

2* 


34  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

tific  experiments  of  the  most  learned  German  stu- 
dents of  man's  food — a  subject  now  attracting  more 
attention  than  at  any  former  time. 

WATER. 

Water  is  a  liquid  food.  It  constitutes  a  part  of 
every  tissue,  in  a  free,  loose  state,  and  a  part  of  it 
in  a  very  intimate  union  with  the  tissues,  so  that  it 
cannot  be  driven  off  by  evaporation.  When  water 
is  taken  into  the  system,  it  assists  in  building  up 
the  organs  and  repairing  them  when  worn  out. 

Water  is  the  natural  beverage  of  man.  About 
eighty-seven  per  cent,  of  our  bodies  is  water.  It 
wastes  with  every  breath  and  motion,  and  this 
waste  must  be  restored  with  a  fresh  supply. 

It  softens  and  holds  in  solution  the  solid  part  of 
our  foods  so,  that  it  will  jBlow  in  the  veins  and 
arteries. 

It  maintains  a  proper  bulk  to  both  blood  and  tis- 
sues, rendering  them  mobile  and  soft  instead  of 
dry  and  hard. 

It  holds  in  solution  the  waste  matter  of  the  body, 
and  transports  it  out  of  the  system. 

It  takes  up  the  waste  heat  of  the  body,  and  carries 
it  away. 

It  slacks  our  thirst,  and  cools  the  blood  in  warm 
weather. 

It  may  be  the  vehicle,  taken  hot,  of  carrying 
heat  into  the  circulation  after  exposure  to  cold 
and  damp. 

AMOUNT     OF     WATER    REQUIRED     FOR     MEN     AND 

WOMEN. 

An  adult  requires  daily  from  three  to  six  pints  of 
water  for  nutrition.    Not  far  from  one-third  of  this 


AMOUNT  OF  WATER  REQUIRED.  35 

is  contained  in  our  food,  and  if  much  fruit  is  used, 
the  amount  required  for  drink  is  less.  Women 
drink  less  than  men,  and  children  more  in  propor- 
tion to  their  bulk.  During  hot  weather  and  when 
the  exercise  is  very  severe  an  additional  supply  is 
required. 

AMOUNT  OF  WATER  REQUIRED  FOR  ANIMALS. 

Some  experiments  were  made  in  English  cavalry 
stables,  in  1866,  to  determine  the  amount  of  water 
required,  daily,  for  horses.  It  seemed  from  the 
report,  that  these  animals  vary  in  the  quantity  con- 
sumed as  much  as  man ;  this  variation  depending 
upon  the  food,  the  weather,  and  the  amount  of 
exercise  taken.  If  a  horse  is  allowed  free  access  to 
water  at  all  times,  he  will  drink  on  an  average  from 
six  to  ten  gallons  daily. 

Dr.  Parks  found  a  horse,  sixteen  hands  high, 
whose  work  was  to  draw  a  carriage  eight  miles 
each  day,  fed  on  hay  and  corn,  that  drank  seven 
and  a  half  gallons  per  day.  Some  stabled  caval- 
ry horses,  used  only  enough  for  exercise,  drank 
six  and  a  half  gallons  daily,  during  the  autumn 
months.  In  hot  and  dusty  weather  they  required 
more.  A  cow  or  an  ox,  kept  on  dry  food,  will 
drink  six  or  eight  gallons  daily;  and  a  sheep  or 
pig  from  one  half  a  gallon  to  a  gallon. 

In  the  Abyssinian  Expedition,  the  daily  expendi- 
ture for  water  for  animals  on  ship-board  was  as  fol- 
lows :  Elephants,  26  gallons ;  camels,  10 ;  large  ox- 
en, 6 ;  small  oxen,  5 ;  mules  and  ponies,  5. 

AMOUNT  REQUIRED  FOR  THE  SICK. 

The  sick  require  more  water  than  the  well,  be- 
cause so  much  is  needed  for  washing  and  bathing ; 


36  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

but  no  very  accurate  experiments  have  been  made 
regarding  the  amount  required  for  drinking  pur- 
poses. It  would  probably  be  less  than  for  active 
healthy  persons. 

PUKITY  OF  WATER. 

Perfectly  pure  water  does  not  exist  in  nature. 
The  nearest  approach  to  it  is  distilled  water.  The 
best  natural  waters  contain  some  salts  of  lime, 
magnesia,  atmospheric  air,  carbonic  acid,  and  other 
substances,  and  many  contain  in  solution,  organic 
and  inorganic  matter  enough  to  render  their  use 
objectionable.  Water  that  contains  much  lime  and 
magnesia  is  called  hard  water,  and  conveys  to  the 
blood  substances  which  interfere  with  the  most 
perfect  action  of  the  organs  of  the  body.  Water 
containing  organic  raatter  dissolved  from  vege- 
table and  animal  substances,  or  poisonous  gases 
dissolved  from  the  air,  is  a  very  dangerous  drink, 
to  be  avoided  under  all  circumstances.  Water 
contaminated  with  malarial  germs  is  a  source  of 
malarial  fever,  and  it  is  a  question  if  this  disease 
is  not  caused  by  drinking  water  quite  as  often  as 
by  breathing  the  air  of  malarious  districts.  Water 
contaminated  by  matter  from  cesspools,  privies  and 
barn-yards,  is  a  common  source  of  typhoid  fever. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  the  unclean  water  about 
many  farms  and  dairies  spreads  disease  in  healthy 
towns,  and  causes  much  loss  of  life. 

DISTILLED  WATER. 

In  diseases,  distilled  water  may  be  an  important  aid 
to  recovery.  It  can  be  made  by  the  use  of  apparatus, 
which  need  not  be  troublesome  or  inconvenient. 


GASEOUS  FOOD.  37 

Druggists  generally  keep  it  for  preparing  medi- 
cines. Comparatively  pure  water  may  be  made  by 
boiling,  cooling  and  straining  it  through  a  pan  of 
charcoal,  and  keeping  in  a  well-corked  bottle  in  a 
cool,  dark  place. 

GASEOUS  FOOD. 
THE  ATMOSPHERE. 

The  atmosphere  is  the  only  gaseous  food  required 
by  man ;  and  the  necessity  for  its  oxygen  is  absolute 
and  continuous.  The  nitrogen  of  the  atmosphere, 
so  far  as  is  known,  plays  only  the  part  of  a  dilutent, 
and  does  not  enter  into  any  important  chemical 
combination  within  the  body. 

When  the  mixed  gases  of  the  air  are  drawn  into 
the  lungs,  a  portion  of  the  oxygen  is  absorbed  by 
the  blood,  and,  during  the  course  of  the  circulation, 
unites  chemically  with  the  carbon,  nitrogen,  and 
hydrogen  of  our  food  —  forming  chemical  com- 
pounds, generally  called  carbonates,  nitrates  and 
hydrates.  Some  of  these  compounds  go  to  form  a 
part  of  the  substance  of  the  body;  but  the  greater 
proportion  of  them,  after  producing  heat,  leave  it  as 
carbonic  acid  and  water. 

From  the  stand  point  of  a  chemist,  the  living 
body  is  a  great  oxidizing  machine,  constantly  burn- 
ing up  its  own  substance.  If  the  process  of  this 
combustion  could  be  seen  it  would  perhaps  resemble 
the  glow  seen  on  the  firefly  in  it^  nocturnal  flight, 
but  this  we  can  only  conjecture.  It  is  a  very  safe 
statement  to  make  that,  so  far  as  we  know,  every 
act  of  man,  and  each  unconscious  change  within 
his  body  is  accompanied  by  a  consumption  of  oxy- 


'dH  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS.'- 

gen.  The  quantity  of  air  consumed,  when  com- 
pared with  the  amount  of  other  food,  is  very  con- 
siderable— the  average  for  adults  being  360  cubic 
feet  every  day — about  2,000  gallons;  which  would 
weigh  not  far  from  twenty-five  pounds. 

Though  fresh  air  is  abundant  in  nature  and  costs 
nothing,  yet  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  a  large  num- 
ber of  persons,  especially  sedentary  ones  and  those 
who  spend  a  large  portion  of  their  time  in-doors, 
have  their  health  injured,  their  working  capacity 
diminished,  and  their  length  of  days  shortened  by 
an  insufficiency  of  air.  They  literally  starve  for 
this  form  of  food. 

The  amount  of  fresh  air  required  hourly  in  tem- 
perate climates,  from  which  to  draw  the  amount 
required  for  actual  consumption,  has  been  variously 
estimated  by  hygienists.  General  Morin,  of  Paris, 
published  some  results  of  his  own  experiments  and 
observations  on  this  subject  which  are  worth  re- 
peating. Work-shops,  prisons  and  theaters  require 
2,118  cubic  feet  hourly  for  each  person;  schools, 
1,059  cubic  feet;  hospitals  at  ordinary  times,  2,825 
cubic  feet;  during  operations,  4,236,  and  during 
epidemics  5,650  cubic  feet.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that 
Morin's  estimates  are  too  low,  and  that  not  less  than 
7,000  cubic  feet  should  be  provided  hourly  for  each 
person.  This  will  keep  the  carbonic  acid  and  other 
impurities  which  emanate  from  the  body  down  to 
nearly  the  same  amount  as  in  out-of-door  air. 

It  has  been  found  that  in  mines,  if  it  is  wished  to 
keep  up  the  energies  of  the  workmen  to  their  full 
capacity,  not  less  than  100  cubic  feet  per  minute 
for  each  man  is  necessary,  and  if  the  quantity  be  re- 
duced one  third  or  one  half  there  is  a  correspond- 


ACCESSORY  FOODS.  39 

ing  falling  off  of  the  w®rk  done  by  the  men.  Ro- 
bert Stephenson  is  of  the  opinion  that  100  cubic 
feet  is  not  sufficient.  The  best  physicians  now 
agree  that  in  fevers  and  contagious  diseases  the 
more  complete  exposure  of  the  patients  to  the  at- 
mosphere the  better,  and  that  fresh  air  is  of  more 
importance  than  medicine.  I  asked  a  young  phy- 
sician connected  with  one  of  the  hospitals,  the 
other  day,  what  was  the  latest  method  of  treating 
pneumonia.  He  replied,  **  Exposure  to  cool  fresh 
air;"  and  then  he  added,  ''  We  recently  had  thirty- 
four  cases  in  one  hospital,  and  lost  but  one."  I 
asked  if  there  was  no  danger  in  cold  weather  of  in- 
jury from  cold,  and  he  said  that  under  proper  pre- 
cautions there  was  not  the  least  danger. 

I  can  not  go  into  any  detailed  account  of  the  ques- 
tion of  air  and  its  purity,  or  of  ventilation,  here. 
The  subject  is  treated  elaborately  in  works  on  Hy- 
giene; but  I  may  add,  that  the  condition  of  the 
atmosphere  varies  with  every  hour  of  the  day,  with 
every  change  of  temperature  and  pressure,  with 
every  change  of  wind  and  season,  with  every  de- 
gree of  latitude  and  longitude,  and  with  all  those 
multitudinous  conditions  constantly  taking  place 
on  our  globe;  and  I  may  also  add  that,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  Nature  has  supplied  us  with 
it  in  the  greatest  abundance,  we  need  after  all,  to 
pay  constant  attention  to  its  purity,  to  ventilation, 
and  all  those  matters  which  will  help  us  to  receive 
it  in  abundance  and  purity. 

ACCESSORY    FOODS. 
Accessory  foods  do  not  contain  any  appreciable 
amount  of  nourishment,  but  act  as    condiments, 


40  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

stimulating  the  digestive  organs,  promoting  the 
flow  of  saliva,  gastric  juice  and  other  internal  se- 
cretions, and  increasing  the  peristaltic  movement 
of  the  viscera.  They  are  used  to  improve  the  taste 
of  whatever  is  eaten,  so  as  to  make  it  more  enjoy- 
able, or  to  stimulate  the  nervous  system  to  an  in- 
creased activity. 

A  few  of  the  accessory  foods  may  be  mentioned : 
Tea  and  coffee ;  every  form  of  alcoholic  beverage, 
as  wine  and  beer ;  spices  of  all  sorts  used  in  the 
culinary  art,  and  vinegar,  mustard,  horseradish, 
pickles,  etc.,  etc.  Salt  has  generally  been  regarded 
as  a  condiment  also ;  but  recent  investigations  go 
to  show  that  while  it  possesses  some  of  the  proper- 
ties of  this  class  of  foods  it  is,  in  fact,  to  a  certain 
extent,  a  food  itself ;  or,  at  least,  its  presence  is  a 
necessity  in  the  blood. 

There  is  a  marked  difference  of  opinion  on  the 
value  and  usefulness  of  accessory  foods  between 
various  authorities.  Pettenkoffer  says:  ''Acces- 
sory foods  (Genussmittel)  are  true  friends  of  man. 
They  help  the  organism  over  many  difficulties.  I 
might  compare  them  to  the  oil  used  to  lubricate 
miachinery  which,  while  it  cannot  be  substituted 
for  the  steam  power,  causes  every  movement  to  go 
easier,  without  friction,  and  more  smoothly  than  it 
otherwise  would." 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  many  of  our  condiments 
may  very  justly  be  classed  as  drugs  or  medicines, 
and  their  habitual  use  by  healthy  persons,  it  re- 
quires but  little  intelligence  to  know,  must  be  in- 
jurious. Their  influence  is  mainly  on  the  nervous 
system.  Now,  in  a  state  of  health,  and  especially 
with  the  young,  the  nervous  system  does  not  re* 


COKDIMENTS.  41 

quire  a  spur  constantly  applied  to  make  it  do  its 
work.  When  age  advances,  if  the  constitution  has 
been  injured,  perhaps  this  rule  might  be  relaxed. 
W.  Mattieu  Williams,  in  his  admirable  work  upon 
the  Chemistry  of  Cookery  takes  the  same  view  that 
I  do,  and  says  :  *^  Cayenne  pepper  may  be  selected 
as  a  typical  example  of  a  condiment.  Mustard  is  a 
food  and  a  condiment  combined.  This  is  the  case 
with  some  others.  Curry  powders  are  a  mixture  of 
very  potent  condiments  with  more  or  less  of  farin- 
aceous materials  and  sulphur  compounds,  which, 
like  the  oil  of  mustard,  onions,  garlic,  etc.,  may 
have  a  certain  amount  of  nutritive  value.  The 
mere  condiment  is  a  stimulating  drug,  which  does 
its  work  directly  upon  the  inner  lining  of  the  stom- 
ach, exciting  it  to  increased  abnormal,  activity. 

*^The  dyspeptic  may  obtain  immediate  relief  by 
the  use  of  cayenne  pepper.  Among  the  patent 
medicines  is  a  pill  of  the  very  ominous  name  of  its 
compounder — the  chief  constituent  of  which  is 
cayenne.  Great  relief  and  temporary  comfort  are 
commonly  obtained  by  using  it  as  a  dinner  pill.  If 
thus  used,  only  as  a  temporary  remedy  for  an  acute 
and  temporary  or  exceptional  attack  of  indigestion, 
all  is  well ;  but  whether  cayenne  is  taken  in  pills, 
or  dusted  over  the  food,  or  stewed  with  it  in  curries 
or  otherwise,  it  is  one  of  the  most  cruel  of  slow  poi- 
sons when  taken  habitually.  /Thousands  of  poor 
wretches  are  crawling  miserably  towards  their 
graves — the  victims  of  the  multitude  of  maladies 
of  both  mind  and  body,  that  are  connected  with 
chronic,  incurable  dyspepsia ;  all  brought  about  by 
the.  habitual  use-- of  cayenne  ahii'lts^  condimental 
cousins. 


42  CLASSIFICATION  OF  FOODS. 

"The  usual  history  of  these  victims  is  that  they 
began  by  over-feeding,  took  to  the  condiment  to 
force  the  stomach  to  do  more  than  its  healthful 
amount  of  work,  using  but  a  little  at  first.  Then 
the  stomach  became  tolerant  of  this  little  and  de- 
manded more,  until  at  last  inflammation,  ulcera- 
tion, torpidity,  and  the  final  death  of  the  digestive 
powers,  accompanied  by  all  of  that  long  train  of 
miseries  to  which  I  have  referred." 

This  is  strong  language,  but  it  has  much  truth  in 
it.  It  has  always  seemed  to  me  that  those  condi- 
ments which  are  of  a  very  stimulating,  and,  per- 
haps, of  a  poisonous  nature,  are  not  required,  and 
if  used  to  any  great  extent  are  positively  injurious 
to  the  young  and  to  persons  in  good  health,  and 
that  if  our  food  is  properly  cooked  all  its  natural 
properties  preserved  and  brought  out,  the  demands 
of  the  palate  and  of  digestion  would  be  sufiiciently 
served  to  answer  our  natural  requirements.  If  the 
material  of  our  food  is  not  good,  if  the  cooking  is 
bad,  we  must  conceal  its  disagreeable  qualities  by 
condiments. 

Many  eschew  condiments  entirely,  and  to  mani- 
fest advantage.  William  Cullen  Bryant,  in  a  letter 
written  for  The  Herald  of  Health,  said:  '^Even 
with  my  food  I  do  not  take  the  usual  condiments, 
such  as  pepper  and  the  like." 

Other  accessory  foods,  such  as  tea,  coffee,  etc., 
will  be  discussed  in  the  chapter  on  drinks. 


CHAPTER  III. 
THE    DAILY    REQUIREMENTS    OF    THE    BODY. 

Before  considering  the  daily  requirements  of  our 
bodies  it  will  be  necessary  to  know  what  is  expected 
of  them,  or  what  they  are  capable  of  accomplishing. 
To  this  end  we  need  a  mathematical  form  of  ex- 
pression for  the  work  which  an  average  human  be- 
ing is  able  to  perform  daily.  To  secure  this  we 
must  first  convert  the  various  kinds  of  labor  into  a 
common  unit.  This  unit,  as  has  been  agreed  upon 
by  physiologists,  is  a  foot-ton,  or  2000  pounds  raised 
one  foot  high,  The  number  of  foot-tons  which  can 
be  lifted  daily  would  constitute  a  day's  work. 

There  are,  however,  two  kinds  of  work  done  by 
the  body  :  one  is  internal  work,  such  as  circulating 
the  blood,  respiration,  secretion,  digestion,  and  all 
other  kinds  of  labor  except  muscular.  The  other 
kind  is  known  as  external  work,  concerning  which 
Dr.  Alexander  Wynter  Blythe,  in  a  little  book  en- 
titled ''Diet  in  its  Relation  to  Health  and  Work," 
says  :  *'  The  external  work  varies  much.  A  country 
postman,  150  pounds  in  weight,  walking  his  daily 
round  of  twenty  miles,  would  do  work  equal  to  353.4 
foot-tons.  Ordinary  day  laborers,  such  as  we  see 
on  the  road,  probably  average  350  foot-tons.  In  the 
case  of  a  peddler,  cited  by  Parks,  who  carried  twen^ 

(43) 


44  THE  DAILY  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THE  BODY. 

ty-eight  pounds  on  his  back  and  walked  twenty 
miles  daily,  the  work  was  419.5  foot-tons. 

*'In  Weston's  feat  of  fifty  miles  a  day,  I  have 
calculated  his  daily  work  to  be  no  less  than  793 
foot-tons  ;  but  this  large  number  was  exceeded  in  a 
former  feat,  in  which  he  walked  317  miles  in  five 
days,  which  would  give,  approximately,  1,010  foot- 
tons  daily. 

'^  A  very  hard  day's  work  for  most  men  is  400  foot- 
tons.  At  the  other  end  of  the  scale  stand  sedentary 
occupations,  for  example :  needlewomen,  the  ex- 
ternal work  of  which  may  fall  as  low  as  seventeen 
or  eighteen  foot-tons." 

The  internal  work  done  by  the  body  can  only  be 
estimated  approximately.  The  most  reliable  cal- 
culations have  been  made  of  the  work  of  the  heart. 
The  left  ventricle  at  each  pulsation,  in  an  average 
man,  circulates  about  six  ounces  of  blood. 

The  right  ventricle  circulates  the  same  quantity, 
but  to  a  less  distance ;  and  its  labor  has  been  esti- 
mated at  about  one-third  of  that  of  the  left  ventri- 
cle. According  to  nice  calculations,  the  work  of 
both  ventricles  amounts  to  about  435  foot-tons  daily, 
which  is  more  than  the  entire  external  work  of  an 
average  laborer. 

Of  the  internal  work  done  by  other  orgarns  of  the 
body  we  have  no  reliable  data. 

The  estimates  given  by  different  authorities  as  to 
the  daily  requirements  of  the  body  have  an  inter- 
est, though  they  are  somewhat  arbitrary.  They  are 
made  to  suit  the  average  laboring  man,  whose  diges- 
tion is  good  and  who  does  a  fair  day's  muscular 
work,  and  are  no  criterion  for  sedentary  persons  or 
for  women. 


CONSTITUENTS  OF  A  SUFFICIENT  DIET.  45 

According  to  Ranke  a  sufficient  diet  for  the  aver- 
age worker,  estimated  dry,  should  contain. 

;  about  1,543  grains,  or  3.3  ounces  of  proteids, 

"     1,543      "        ''  3.3      "        **  fats, 
and      3,703      "        **  7.88    "        *♦   carbohydrates. 

The  amount  of  energy  associated  with  each  of 
those  groups  of  food  constituents  is  shown  in  the 
next  table. 

1,543  grains  of  albumin  give  430,300  calories, 
1,543      '♦       "  fat  **    000,900        ** 

3,703      "       **  starch         '*    938,880        ** 


.  Total,  2,373,980  calories. 

Foster  and  Voit  make  a  more  liberal  and  some- 
what different  estimate,  of  man's  daily  require- 
ments, as  follows : 

Albumin  1,820  grains,  3.8  ounces, 

Fats  1,930        "        4        *' 

Carbohydrates  6,053        **       12.G  ** 

The  quantity  of  nitrogen  and  carbon  in  the  above 
diet  is  as  follows : 

Nitrogen       •        •       •        .    283.40  grains. 
Carbon      .        .        .        .5,061  ** 

The  value  of  a  diet  containing  this  amount  of  the 
various  constituents  in  energy  is  as  follows  : 

1,830  grains  albumia  give    503,034  calories, 

1,364      '*       fat  "       801,699        '* 

5,053      **       carbohydrates  ''    1,534,600        " 


Total,  3,838,333  calories. 

Professor  Gamgee,  in  his  interesting  work  on 
*'Food  and  Digestion,"  gives  in  the  following  table 
the  quality  of  the  different  foods  which  a  man 


46    THE  DAILY  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THE  BODY. 

would  be  required  to  eat  in  order  to  supply  his 
system  \^  ith  the  nitrogen  and  carbon  specified  in 
the  last  table  quoted,  as  follows  : 

18  "3  grammes  of  nitrogen  == 

Cheese 272  grammes,  * 

Lean  meat    ....  538  '* 

Wheaten  flour  .        .        .796  " 

Eggs  (18)        ....  905  " 

Black  bread      ....      989  " 

Rice        .        .        ...       1,868  " 

Milk 2,905  ♦♦ 

Potatoes        .        ,        .        .       4,575  ** 

Bacon        .        .        .        .        .  4,796  " 

'       Beer 17,000  ♦* 

323  grammes  of  carbon  '=' 

Bacon 450  grammes, 

Wheaten  flour     ...  824  " 

Rice 896  *' 

Cheese 1,160  " 

Black  bread      ....  1,346  ** 

Eggs  (43)        .        .        .        .  2,231  " 

Lean  meat        ....  2,620  ** 

Potatoes       ....  3,124  " 

Milk 4,653  »* 

Beer        .....     13,160  ** 

These  tables  have  no  absolute  value  as  guides  to 
our  daily  diet,  but  are  curiosities  which  will  inter- 
est the  reader,  and  they  'indicate,''  continues  Gam- 
gee,  **  how  very  limited  are  the  substances  which 
alone  will  supply  the  body  with  the  proper  quanti- 
ties which  it  requires  of  nitrogen  and  of  carbon,  and 
also  of  energy.  Thus,  whilst  538  grammes  of  meat 
are  sufficient  to  supply  all  the  proteid  which  the 
body  requires,  if  meat  alone  composed  the  diet  of 

♦To  convert  grammes  Into  avoir,  ounces  multiply  by  0.0353. 


BLACK  BOT7^^i=^^='=**^  47 


man  there  would  be  needed  as  much  as  2,620 
grammes  to  supply  all  the  carbon  required ;  but  no 
man  could  day  after  day  consume  such  a  great 
quantity  of  meat.  Even  milk,  which  contains  all 
the  various  groups  of  food  constituents,  is  not 
adapted  to  supply  all  the  elements  of  a  perfect 
diet  in  their  proper  proportions  for  an  adult  man ; 
for  while  all  the  nitrogen  which  the  body  needs 
could  be  afforded  by  the  consumption  of  2,905 
grammes  of  milk,  in  order  that  the  amount  of 
carbon  required  should  be  obtained,  the  milk  con- 
sumed would  have  to  reach  the  enormous  amount 
of  4,652  grammes,  in  other  words,  over  ten  English 
pounds. 

It  will  be  observed  that  there  is  only  one  article 
of  diet  in  each  of  these  tables,  namely,  black  bread, 
which  contains  nitrogen  and  carbon  in  such  pro- 
portions that  a  moderate  weight  of  it  is  able  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  economy  for  both  these 
elements.  From  1,300  to  1,400  grammes  of  black 
bread  constitute,  therefore,  almost  a  standard  diet, 
and  it  may  be  mentioned  that  upon  this  diet  large 
numbers  of  men  are  able  to  live  in  health  and  to 
accomplish  great  labors.  In  some  of  the  depart- 
ments in  the  south  of  France  black  bread  consti- 
tutes almost  the  only  food  of  a  vigorous  and  labor- 
ious population." 

A  receipt  will  be  given  for  making  this  black 
bread  in  another  department.  While  it  contains 
the  elements  of  an  almost  perfect  nutrition  it  is 
very  disagreeable  to  the  taste  and  also  difficult  of 
digestion.  Only  those  working  in  the  open  air  can 
digest  it. 

Dr.  Edward  Smith  made  inquiries  into  the  food 


48    THE  DAILY  REQUIREMENTS  OP  THE  BODY. 

allowance  of  several  hundred  families  in  England, 
Wales,  Ireland  and  Scotland,  and  constructed  the 
following  interesting  tables : 

AVERjLaE  DAILY  DIET  OP  FARM  LABORERS  IN  GREAT 

BRITAIN. 

Dry  Nitrogenous  Dry  Carbonaceous 

Matter.  Matter, 

England    .        .        .        ,3.18  ozs.        ,        .        .    29.33  ozs. 
Wales     .        ,        .        .        4.12    »'  .        .        35.51     *' 

Scotland    ....     4.76     "...    36.30     " 
Ireland  ....        4.94    "  .        .        34.26     *' 

The  carbonaceous  matter  in  this  table,  as  well  as 
the  following,  is  calculated  as  starch. 

Dr.  Playfair  has  constructed  a  still  more  inter- 
esting table,  giving  the  amount  of  nitrogenous 
and  carbonaceous  substances  in  ounces,  in  differ- 
ent degrees  of  labor : 

DAILY  DIET  ACCORDINa  TO  WORK  DONE. 

Flesh-formers,    Fat    Starch  and  Sugar, 


Subsistence  diet     • 

.    2.0  ozs. 

0.5  ozs. 

12.0  ozs 

Quietude 

2.5    *' 

1.0    " 

12.0    " 

Moderate  exercise  . 

.    4.2    " 

1.8    '* 

1S.7    '* 

Active  labor 

5.5     " 

2.5     " 

20.0     '* 

Hard  work      .        . 

.    6.5     " 

2.0     " 

20.0    " 

'  These  tables  are  all  constructed  from  English  and 
German  data,  where  work  of  this  kind  has  been 
done  much  more  extensively  than  in  our  own  coun- 
try. There  are  evidences,  however,  that  American 
scientists  will  soon  give  us  statistics  of  this  sort  of 
the  most  valuable  kind.  On  this  point  Professor 
Atwater  says  : 

'^I  think  that  to  fairly  meet  the  demand  of  the 
average  American  laboring  man  (I  mean  the  man 
whose  labor  is  done  with  his  muscles ;  brain-work- 


LIBERAL  RATIONS  FOR  HARD  WORK.  49 

ers  who  have  little  muscular  exercise  need  less 
food,  I  suppose,)  a  more  liberal  allowance  than  Voit 
makes  for  laboring  men  in  Germany  is  needed. 
The  American  ''working-man"  is  better  paid,  has 
more  and  better  food,  and  does  more  work  than 
his  European  brother.  I  should  be  inclined  to  quan- 
tities more  like  the  following  for  the  nutrients  in 
the  daily  food  of  an  average  man  doing  manual 
work  *. 

Protein.  Fat.  Carbohydrates. 

For  moderate  work. 
125  grammes  (4.4  ozs).    125  grammes.   400  grammes  (14.4  ozs). 

For  hard  work. 
150  grammes  150  grammes.   400  grammes. 

*'Men  at  very  severe  work  may  often  need  much 
more  than  the  most  liberal  of  these  rations  allows, 
while  men,  and  especially  women,  of  sedentary  hab- 
its and  elderly  people  are  believed  to  usually  require 
considerably  less  than  the  smallest  figures  indi- 
cate. 

*' Statistics  collected  in  the  United  States  imply 
that  the  quantity  of  food  consumed  by  many  people 
whose  occupations  involve  only  light  muscular  labor 
approaches  very  near  to  the  largest  of  these  stand- 
ards, and  often  considerably  exceeds  it.  Indeed,  a 
large  array  of  facts  lately  gathered  very  strongly 
support  the  teaching  of  physicians  that  the  failure 
to  fit  the  food  to  the  demands  of  the  body,  and  es- 
pecially the  excessive  consumption  of  certain  kinds 
of  food,  are  the  sources  of  untold  injury  to  health 
and  happiness." 

Those  who  are  fond  of  figures  will  be  interested 
in  Professor  Huxley's  general  statistics  of  the  body, 
as  follows : 

8 


60    THE  DAILY  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THE  BODY. 

The  average  weight  of  the  human  body  may  be 
taken  at  154  lbs. 
Such  a  body  would  be  made  up  of 

lbs. 

Muscles  and  their  appurtenances        .        .  G8 

Skeleton 24 

Skin m 

Fat 28 

Brain 3 

Tlioracic  viscera 2i 

Abdominal  viscera 11 

147 

lbs. 

Or  of  water 88 

Solid  matter       ......         66 

The  solids  would  consist  of  the  elements  oxygen, 
hydrogen,  carbon,  nitrogen,  phosphorus,  sulphur, 
silicon,  chlorine,  flourine,  potassium,  sodium,  cal- 
cium (lithium),  magnesium,  iron  (manganese,  cop- 
per, lead),  and  may  be  arranged  under  the  heads  of 

PROTEIDS.      AMYLOIDS.      FATS.      MINERALS. 

Such  a  body  would  lose  in  24  hours — of  water, 
about  40,000  grains,  or  6  lbs. ;  of  other  matters,  about 
14,500  grains,  or  over  2  lbs.;  among  which  of  car- 
bon 4,000  grains ;  of  nitrogen  300  grains ;  of  mineral 
matters,  400  grains;  and  would  part,  per  diem,  with 
as  much  heat  as  would  raise  8,700  lbs.  of  water 
f rom  0°  to  1*  F.,  which  is  equivalent  to  3,000  foot- 
tons.  Such  a  body  ought  to  do  as  much  work  as  is 
equal  to  450  foot-tons. 

The  losses  would  occur  through  various  organs, 
thus — by 


• 


COMPOSITION  OF  THE  BODY.  51 

Water,  Other  Matter.    N.  C. 

grains.  grains.          grains.  grains. 

LuDgs    .        .        .    5,000  12,000  3,300 

Kidneys    .        .       23,000  1,000            250  140 

Skin       .        .        .  10,000  700              10  100 

Feces         .        .        2,000  80.)              40  4G0 

Total    .        .  40,000  14,500  300        4,000 

The  gains  and  losses  of  the  body  Would  be  as  fol- 
lows : 

grains. 

Creditor— Solid  dry  food  .  .  .  8,000 
Oxygen  .  .  .  .  10,000 
Water 36,500 

Total    .        .      54,500 
grains. 

Debtor— Water 40,000 

Other  matter        .        .        .      14,500 

Total    .        .  54,600 

Such  a  body  would  require  for  daily  food,  carbon 
4,000  grains ;  nitrogen  300  grains,  which,  with  the 
other  necessary  elements,  would  be  most  conveni- 
ently disposed  in 

grains. 

Proteids 2,000 

Amyloids 4,400 

Fats        .        .        .        .        .        .    1,200 

Minerals 400 

Water 86,600     . 

Total       .        .       44,500 

which,  in  turn,  might  be  obtained,  for  instance,  by 
means  of  those  articles  of  food  named  below  or  an 


52  THE  DAILY  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THE  BODY. 

indefinite  number  of  articles  might  be  used  from 
which  to  select  them. 

'  grains. 

Lean  beefsteaks  .        .        .  '.    5,000 

Bread         .        .        .        .  .         6,000 

Milk \    7,000 

Potatoes    .        .        .        .  .        3,000 

Butter,  dripping,  etc.          .  .       600 

Water        .        .        .        .  .       £2,900 

Total       .        .      44,500 

The  feces  passed,  per  diem,  would  amount  to  about 
2,800  grains,  containing  solid  matter,  800  grains. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DIGESTION. 

Good  digestion  is  at  the  base  of  perfect  nutrition. 
The  best  food  in  the  world,  imperfectly  digested, 
will  not  be  so  useful  to  the  animal  body  as  the 
poorest  food  well  digested.  But  the  digestion  of  no 
animal  is  quite  perfect.  If  it  were,  then  the  excre- 
ment which  passes  away  would  not  contain  undi- 
gested sustances.  Now  this  is  not  the  case.  The 
excrements  of  all  animals  furnish  food  for  multi- 
tudes of  insects,  and  birds  feed  with  avidity  on  the 
dung  of  grain-fed  horses  and  cattle,  as  farmers  well 
know.  The  fireman  who  shovels  coal  under  the 
boiler  of  a  steam  engine  knows  full  well  that  he 
must  furnish  an  extra  supply,  above  that  theoreti- 
cally required.  Hardly  more  than  twenty-five  per 
cent,  of  its  real  value  is  utilized  by  the  best  mechan- 
ism yet  constructed  by  man.  The  remainder  is  un- 
consumed,  going  off  in  the  form  of  minute  parti- 
cles, or  is  lost  in  other  ways.  Man  does  better  than 
this ;  but  we  all  consume  more  food  than  we  should 
require  if  the  digestive  organs  were  capable  of  ex- 
tracting all  its  nutritive  material. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  differ- 
ent foods  digested  and  undigested  by  man^  as  f oxmd 


64  DIGESTION. 

by  very  careful  experiments  made  upon  a  healthy 
person  : 

Amount  of  solid  food 

residue  passing  aw^ay 

from  the  body  by  the 

alimentary  canal. 


Parts  digested  of  100 

parts  of  the  perfectly 

dried  solid. 

Suga,p 

100-00 

Rice    ..'... 

96-00 

W  heat  en  Bread    . 

95-00 

Roast  Meat 

94-80 

Hard  boiled  Eggs 

94-75 

Milk  and  Cheese  (in  the  pro- 

portion of  2-4 : 1) 

94-00 

Cornflour  .... 

93-30 

Milk  and  Cheese  (in  the  pro- 

portion of  2  : 1) 

93-20 

Milk,  830  parts  of  fluid  =- 

100  of  solids  . 

91-00 

Potatoes        .... 

90-60 

Rye  Bread 

88-9 

Milk  and  Cheese(equal  parts 

of  dry  solids). 

88-7 

Black  Bread 

83-0 

Carrots,  Celery,  Cabbage 

70-0 

Peas,  Beans,  etc. 

62-4 

Gelatin      .... 

50-0 

0-00 
4-00 
5-00 
5-20 
5-25 

6-00 
6-70 

6-80 

9-00 
9-40 
11-1 

11-8 
170 
24-0 
47-6 
50  0 

The  various  degrees  of  the  digestibility  of  foods 
have  been  roughly  estimated  in  the  following  ways : 

1.  By  experimenting  in  the  laboratory — the  ex- 
perimenter submitting  different  foods  to  the  action 
of  digestive  juices  at  a  temperature  of  about  100°  F. 
for  a  specified  time. 

2.  By  experiments  on  living  beings,  in  cases 
where  an  opening  has  been  caused  by  accident  or 
otherwise,  revealing  the  processes  of  digestion  to 
the  naked  eye ;  or  by  following  the  stages  of  stom- 
ach digestion  and  removing  its  contents  at  stated 
periods  with  a  stomach  pump. 

3.  By  experiments  on  living  animals,  with  an  ar- 


MOUTH  DIGESTION.  65 

tificial  opening  into  the  stomach — a  cruel  process, 
but  having  some  value. 

L  By  analyses  of  the  food  eaten  and  of  the  ex- 
crement which  passes  out  of  the  body.  The  latter 
method  is  by  far  the  most  satisfactory,  for  it  in- 
volves no  unnatural  condition.  By  it  the  food  is 
subjected  to  all  the  processes  of  digestion,  while 
in  the  other  cases  it  is  submitted  to  only  a  part 
of  them.  The  foregoing  table  was  estimated  by 
this  method. 

It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  foods  which  are 
not  perfectly  digested,  or  which  may  be  difficult  of 
digestion  should  never  be  eaten,  any  more  than  it 
follows  that  difficult  work  for  brain  or  muscles 
should  never  be  a^ttempted.  The  organism  acquires 
strength,  under  certain  conditions,  by  doing  labor 
which  taxes  it  somewhat  severely. 

From  the  table  quoted  it  will  be  seen  that  sugar 
is  the  most  perfectly  digested  of  any  of  the  articles 
mentioned ;  and  yet  sugar  alone  would  not  consti- 
tute a  safe  diet.  Peas  and  beans,  on  the  other  hand, 
are  rarely  perfectly  digested,  and  yet  they  consti- 
tute important  foods. 

The  food  in  its  passage  along  the  digestive  track 
is  brought  under  the  action  of  several  digestive 
juices,  the  product  of  the  epithelial  cells  which  con- 
stitute the  mucous  membrane,  and  of  the  glands 
which  belong  to  it. 

MOUTH   DIGESTION. 

The  first  of  these  juices  is  the  saliva  secreted  by 
the  various  glands  connected  with  the  mouth  ;  then 
comes  the  gastric  juice  of  the  stomach,  the  bile  of 
the  liver,  the  pancreatic  juice  of  the  pancreas,  and 


56  DIGESTION. 

other  unimportant  juices  of  the  digestive  track. 
These  juices  are  poured  upon  the  food,  mingled 
with  it,  and  produce  such  changes  in  its  character 
that  from  being  insoluble  it  becomes  soluble,  and 
so  modified  that  if  the  digestion  be  perfect  the 
soluble  portion  of  what  is  eaten  is  passed  into,  and 
becomes  a  part  of,  the  blood. 

Digestion  begins  in  the  mouth.  During  each 
twenty-four  hours  the  salivary  glands  pour  into 
this  cavity,  mainly  during  mastication,  about  three 
and  a  half  pounds  of  saliva.  It  is  alkaline  in  its 
reaction,  and  contains  nearly  half  an  ounce  of  solid 
matter,  and  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  ptya- 
line,  which  is  its  active  principle.  The  saliva 
moistens  and  dilutes  the  food  while  the  ptyaline 
acts  on  its  starch,  converting  a  portion  of  it  into 
grape  sugar.  It  is  calculated  that  one  part  of 
ptyaline  will  convert  8,000  parts  of  starch  into 
sugar.  It  produces  no  action  on  fat  or  albumen. 
Starch  is  unaffected  by  saliva  unless  the  coat  of  the 
starch-cell  is  ruptured  by  boiling  or  by  thorough 
mastication,  so  as  to  expose  the  starch  to  its  influ- 
ence. 

STOMACH  DIGESTION. 

The  food  passes  from  the  mouth  into  the  stomach, 
where  it  meets  another  digestive  fluid,  the  gastric 
juice.  A  healthy  stomach  secretes  from  fourteen 
to  twenty -five  pounds  of  this  juice  daily,  which  con- 
tains less  than  half  a  pound  of  solid  matter,  and 
two-thirds  of  an  ounce  of  pepsine,  the  active  agent 
of  digestion. 

The  gastric  juice  is  acid  in  its  reaction,  or  exactly 
the  opposite  of  the  saliva.     It  puts  an  end  for  the 


CONDITIONS  FAVORING  DIGESTION.  57 

time  being  to  tlie  digestion  of  starch,  which  had 
commenced  in  the  mouth.  It  has  no  effect  upon  the 
grape  or  cane  sugar  of  our  food.  It  is  also  power- 
less to  digest  fats,  consequently  any  oily  matter 
in  the  stomach,  like  starch,  remains  unchanged. 
Any  albuminous  envelope  surrounding  a  fat  globule 
may  be  digested  away,  leaving  the  fatty  portion 
free.  Such  mineral  matter  as  is  soluble  in  acids 
is,  for  the  most  part,  dissolved  in  the  gastric  juice. 
Its  chief  characteristic  is  its  power  of  dissolving 
proteid  or  albuminous  matters,  converting  them 
into  peptones,  which  can  be  taken  up  by  the  ab- 
sorbents of  the  digestive  organs,  and  carried  into 
the  circulation. 

After  the  stomach  has  done  all  it  can  in  the  way 
of  digesting  the  albuminous  matter  in  our  food,  it 
is  passed  through  the  pyloric  orifice  at  its  end 
into  the  duodenum,  in  an  acid  condition.  Here  it 
meets,  and  is  mingled  with,  two  alkaline  digestive 
juices — first,  the  bile  from  the  liver,  and,  second, 
the  pancreatic  juice  from  the  pancreas.  In  a  short 
time  it  is  changed  from  an  acid  to  an  alkaline  state. 
Any  albuminous  matter  which  was  not  completely 
digested  in  the  stomach,  and  all  the  starchy  mat- 
ters not  completely  digested  in  the  mouth,  have 
their  digestion  completed  here,  and  the  fatty  por- 
tion of  the  food  is  changed  into  an  emulsion,  which 
fits  it  for  being  absorbed.  Thus  we  see  the  main 
office  of  digestion  is  to  render  the  solid  matter  of 
food  soluble. 

The  conditions  of  perfect  digestion  are  several, 
and  may  be  mentioned  here.  The  first  is  perfect 
mastication.  If  this  is  not  accomplished  much  of 
the  food  is  not  brought  under  the  influence  of  the. 

3* 


58  DIGESTION. 

digestive  juices  and  is  so  lost.  Count  Rumford  cal- 
culated that  one-fourth  less  food  is  required  if  it 
be  perfectly  masticated.  The  object  of  mastica- 
tion is  to  break  up  the  particles  into  a  condition 
in  which  the  digestive  juices  can  be  brought  into 
immediate  contact  with  them. 

It  has  been  stated  that  Mr.  Gladstone  is  so  im- 
pressed with  the  importance  of  perfect  mastication 
that  he  makes  a  practice  himself,  and  has  taught 
his  family  to  do  the  same,  of  giving  each  mouthful 
thirty-two  bites — one  for  each  tooth  in  a  perfect 
mouth.  It  is  no  wonder  that  he  is  able  to  perform 
such  an  amount  of  intellectual  labor. 

It  is  not  easy  to  form  the  habit  of  chewing  the 
food  thoroughly  after  one  has  practiced  eating 
rapidly  for  a  few  years,  but  by  determined  effort  it 
may  be  done,  as  I  have  many  times  observed  in 
persons  who  have  consulted  me  on  the  hygienic 
treatment  of  their  diseases. 

Several  years  ago.  Prof.  E.  T.  Bacon  and  myself, 
and  a  few  other  friends  eating  at  the  same  table, 
formed  a  little  club,  under  the  name  of  *'The  Eat 
Your  Food  Slow  Society."  I  was  the  honored 
president  so  long  as  the  society  existed,  which  was 
long  enough  for  our  individual  purposes.  We  had 
a  great  deal  of  merriment  on  the  subject  of  masti 
eating  food,  and  each  member  was  fined  every  time 
h^  was  caught  eating  rapidly.  I  think  such  socie- 
ties are  much  needed,  and  that  they  might  be 
formed  at  every  table.  They  would  serve  to  call 
attention  to  the  subject,  and,  finally,  to  aid  in 
forming  correct  habits  of  eating. 

During  digestion  the  contents  of  the  stomach  are 
kept  in  a  constant  state  of  gentle  agitation  by  the 


CONVERSATION  AT  TABLE.  69 

rythmic,  circular,  to-and-fro  movement  of  this  or- 
gan. This  is,  no  doubt,  facilitated  by  gymnastic 
exercises  or  deep  breathing. 

Those  who  engage  in  out-of-door  labor  do  not 
need  to  make  special  effort  for  keeping  up  the  in- 
testinal movement;  but  sedentary  persons,  many 
invalids,  and  women  who  dress  tightly  about  the 
waist  often  suffer  much  in  health  because  the  mus- 
cular movements  of  the  digestive  canal  are  feeble 
and  inefficient. 

Digestion  is  favored  by  the  proper  selection  of 
food,  and  by  the  right  proportion  of  fats,  carbo- 
hydrates, proteids  and  mineral  matter.  An  excess 
or  deficiency  of  either  is  injurious. 

By  the  best  treatment  of  food  as  regards  cooking, 
flavoring  and  serving. 

By  proper  variety  of  food,  with  occasional  changes 
of  diet. 

By  moderate  exercise,  warmth  and  a  genial  state 
of  mind. 

By  good  sleep.  Persons  who  suffer  from  sleep- 
lessness lose  their  appetites,  and  their  digestion  be- 
comes impaired.  Sleep,  on  the  other  hand,  is  pro- 
moted by  good  and  suitable  food. 

By  pleasant  social  surroundings  at  the  table,  and 
by  regularity  in  eating,  with  proper  intervals  be- 
tween meals. 

I  am  a  great  believer  in  light  conversation  at  the 
table.  A  person  who  sits  alone  and  eats  in  silence 
cannot  enjoy  his  food,  nor  digest  it  so  thoroughly 
as  one  who  eats  with  agreeable  people,  and  enters 
into  the  talk  which  ought  to  prevail ;  but  it  should 
be  light  agreeable  talk.  Politics  and  theology, 
business  and  the  trials  and  troubles  of  life  should 


^  DIGESTION. 

never  be  mentioned.  Every  meal  should  be  a  festi- 
val of  cheerfulness  and  love.  We  say  grace  at  the 
table,  and  this  is  right;  but  we  should  be  filled 
with  grace  and  beauty,  then  would  the  words  we 
utter  be  something  more  than  empty  sounds. 


CHAPTER  Y. 
THE    SOURCES    OF    OUR    FOODS. 

Man  derives  his  nourishment  mainly  from  organ- 
ized matter ;  plants  theirs  from  unorganized.  It  is 
true  that  the  former  may,  to  a  slight  extent,  be 
nourished  from  inorganic  material;  and  it  is  also 
true  that  some  vegetables,  mainly  the  carnivorous 
plants,  feed  upon  organic  matter;  but  these  excep- 
tions do  not  disprove  the  general  rule.  There  are 
two  sources  of  organized  matter  on  which  man 
feeds :  one  the  animal  kingdom,  and  one  the  vege* 
table  kingdom.  From  the  animal  kingdom  we  ob- 
tain the  proteids  and  the  fats — the  proteids  in  the 
form  of  lean  meat  and  other  tissues,  and  the  fats 
in  the  form  of  fat  meat.  We  also  obtain  mineral 
matter  from  animal  food.  The  animal  kingdom 
furnishes  no  carbohydrates.  From  the  vegetable 
kingdom  we  obtain  the  proteids,  the  fats,  the  car- 
bohydrates and  mineral  food. 

There  are  also  some  intermediate  products,  name- 
ly, milk  and  eggs,  which  may  be  called  animal 
products,  though  they  are  hardly  animal  foods, 
which  serve  as  nourishment  for  man. 

The  extent  to  which  each  of  these  sources  of  food 
are  used  varies  greatly  with  race,  climate  and  habit. 

(61) 


62  THE  SOURCES  OF  OUR  FOODS. 

In  polar  regions  the  main  supply  of  food  is  animal 
from  necessity,  though  vegetables  are  used  so  far 
as  they  can  be  obtained ;  but  so  scarce  are  they 
that  they  may  be  considered  more  as  luxuries,  con- 
diments and  medicines  than  foods.  In  temperate 
latitudes  the  vegetable  world  is  the  most  important 
source  of  food,  though  animal  food  is  also  exten- 
sively consumed.  In  warm  climates  animal  food 
is  used  still  less,  and  by  far  the  greatest  majority 
of  the  inhabitants  never  use  any  of  it.  Animal 
products  are,  however,  used  here  to  some  extent, 
especially  milk.  Eggs  are  less  used.  I  have  only 
just  received  a  letter  from  a  Hindoo  who  states  he 
does  '^  not  remember  to  have  ever  eaten  an  egg." 

In  our  own  climate  a  majority  of  scientists  and 
physiologists  argue  that  a  mixed  diet  is  preferable, 
and  that  man  is  by  nature  and  structure  adapted  to 
it.  Why  this  is  so  it  would  be  difficult  to  say.  We 
know  perfectly  well  that  the  vegetable  kingdom 
supplies  in  rich  abundance  every  element  of  our 
food.  The  fats  of  the  vegetable  world  are  quite  as 
abundant  as  in  the  animal  kingdom.  The  carbo- 
hydrates are  not  to  be  found  in  the  animal  king- 
dom at  all;  and  even  the  proteids  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom  exist  in  as  great  abundance  as  in  animal 
food.  Why,  then,  eat  flesh  ?  There  can  be  but  one 
excuse  for  it,  and  that  is  the  force  of  habit  for  ages. 

In  early  times,  when  agriculture  had  not  been 
developed,  animal  food  was,  no  doubt,  in  temperate 
regions  a  necessity,  as  it  is  in  cold  regions  now ; 
but  this  is  not  the  case  to-day.  Every  product  of 
the  vegetable  kingdom,  from  almost  all  climes,  can 
be  had  everywhere.  There  is  no  longer  any  excuse 
for  the  slaughter-house  and  the  annual  murdering 


PROFESSOR  VOIT'S  OPINION.  ^     63 

of  millions  of  animals  for  sustenance.  Many  of 
these  animals  have  been  bred  and  perfected  with 
the  greatest  care.  They  have  received  so  much  of 
our  thought  and  labor  that  they  have  often  become 
almost  human,  and  are  in  some  respects  superior  to 
many  of  the  human  race,  so  full  of  selfishness  and 
cruelty,  even  at  its  best.  It  may  be  in  making  the 
changes  there  would  be  some  sufferings  and  some 
mistakes,  but  science  must  come  to  our  aid,  and  so 
must  common  sense.  It  has  always  seemed  to  me 
that  the  help  of  the  chemist  and  physiologist  should 
be  sought  in  this  matter. 

Prof.  Voit,  one  of  the  most  eminent  German  phy- 
siologists, and  who  has  made  many  important  ex- 
periments on  man  and  his  food,  recently  declared : 
*' I  see  no  reason  why  man,  with  well-chosen  veg- 
etable food,  needs  to  go  to  the  animal  kingdom  for 
albuminous  matter."  Most  certainly  if  he  does  not 
need  to  go  to  the  animal  kingdom  for  albuminous 
matter ;  he  does  not  for  fats ;  and  he  would  go  in 
vain  for  carbohydrates. 

In  order  to  get  at  something  practical,  I  brought 
this  subject  to  the  attention  of  an  able  chemist,  Mr. 
M.  B.  Manwaring,  who  has  made  the  subject  of 
food  a  special  study,  and  asked  him  to  take  for 
his  data  the  known  requirements  of  the  body  as 
already  given  in  a  previous  chapter,  and  make  a 
table  showing  what  vegetables  would  furnish  the 
requisite  material.  His  valuable  contribution  will 
appear  at  the  close  of  this  chapter. 

I  am  well  aware  that  no  sudden  change  in  man's 
dietetic  habits  will  be  made,  but  it  could  be  brought 
about  gradually.  Flesh  once  a  day  might  be  taken, 
or  three  or  four  times  a  week,  as  in  the  majority  of 


64  THE  SOURCES  OF  OUR  FOODS. 

well-to-do  families  in  Germany.  Fish,  eggs,  oysters 
and  milk  might  be  retained,  perhaps  indefinitely. 
There  is  practically  little  or  no  cruelty  in  securing 
any  of  these;  not  that  they  are  absolutely  neces- 
sary, but  people  think  they  are,  and  so  long  as  they 
think  so  their  thoughts  must  find  expression  in 
acts ;  besides,  this  amount  of  animal  food  would 
suit  the  requirements  of  those  who  can  not  or  will 
not  under  any  circumstances  altogether  dispense 
with  it. 

It  is  true  that  there  are  some  difficulties  in  adopt- 
ing a  fleshless  diet.  One  is  that  the  habits  and  cus- 
toms of  society  are  not  built  upon  a  plan  for  it,  and 
these  are  not  easily  changed.  A  whole  family 
cooking  their  own  food  would  find  little  difficulty, 
providing  they  all  agree ;  but  a  single  member  of 
it  might  have  so  much  trouble  as  to  discourage  him 
unless  he  should  be  very  persistent.  And  then  the 
style  of  cooking  and  the  choice  of  foods  would  have 
to  be  changed.  Our  present  dietetic  habits  are 
formed  on  the  rude  experience  of  generations,  and 
they  pretty  nearly,  on  our  best  arranged  tables, 
provide  the  requisite  quantity  of  fats,  carbohy- 
drates, proteids  and  salts ;  but  the  moment  flesh  is 
omitted  there  would  be  a  great  deficiency  of  pro- 
teids, unless  it  were  arranged  for  in  other  articles 
of  diet.  It  would  be  necessary  to  use,  for  instance, 
more  oatmeal  and  bread  made  from  whole-meal 
flour,  also  beans  and  peas — all  very  rich  in  pro- 
teids. This  might  interfere  with  the  likes  of  many 
people  whose  nerves  may  have  been  trained  after 
the  customs  of  ancestors  not  far  removed  from 
savages. 

Then,  again,  the  danger  of  enthusiasm  without 


ENTHUSIASM  WITHOUT  KNOWLEDGE.  65 

knowledge  has  to  be  counteracted.  Men  and  wo- 
men often  take  hold  of  an  idea  and  ''run  it  into 
the  ground."  Some  dietetic  reformers  have  done 
this  and  paid  the  penalty ;  others  have  found  it  un- 
satisfactory and  gone  to  the  other  extreme.  I  be- 
lieve heartily  in  enthusiasm;  it  moves  the  world 
when  nothing  else  will,  and  it  especially  moves  it 
quickly  without  our  waiting  for  the  slow  process 
of  growth  and  the  regular  unfolding  of  the  facul- 
ties. But  enthusiasm  needs  to  be  well  balanced 
and  kept  on  the  right  track  by  science,  knowledge 
and  common  sense,  which  is,  after  all,  practical, 
every-day  science,  worked  out  by  hard  experience. 

Still,  notwithstanding  all  these  difficulties,  we 
might  make  more  rapid  progress  by  giving  careful 
thought  to  this  subject,  as  we  do  to  other  matters 
not  nearly  so  important. 

The  advantages  of  man's  return  to  nature  cannot 
be  estimated.  That  he  would  become  a  better  man 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  The  fear  that  his  force  of 
character  and  energy  might  be  abated  is  hardly 
worth  considering.  In  our  climate,  if  well  fed  on 
the  best  vegetable  foods,  he  would  have  energy 
enough,  but  there  would  be,  I  am  sure,  far  less  of 
that  restlessness  and  cruelty  so  often  mistaken 
for  energy. 

That  this  reform  in  our  dietetic  habits,  of  which 
I  have  briefly  spoken,  is  destined  to  grow,  and  sure 
to  become  a  part  of  the  struggle  in  our  efforts  for 
human  progress,  as  much  as  temperance  or  social 
economy,  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt. 

I  now  have  the  pleasure  of  introducing  Mr.  M.  B. 
Manwaring,  previously  mentioned,  who,  at  my  so- 
licitation, contributes  an  interesting  chapter. 


66  THE  SOURCES  OF  OUR  FOODS. 

A    PRACTICAL    CHAPTER    FROM    A    CHEMICAL' 

STANDPOINT. 

The  investigations  of  scientists  enable  us  to  name 
with  scientific  certainty  the  classes  of  nutrients  re- 
quired hj  all  mankind  under  any  and  all  conditions. 
The  more  recent  determinations  of  physiological 
chemists  also  supply  us  with  the  necessary  data  by 
which  to  approximate  relative  proportions  and  quan- 
tities for  a  typical  dietary,  the  degree  of  accuracy 
in  any  given  case  depending  upon  certain  condi- 
tions approaching  or  departing  from  that  state  of 
things  conveniently  termed  *^ average" — that  ac- 
commodating adjustment  of  differences  which  in- 
cludes all,  and  yet  paradoxically  excludes  the  in- 
dividual. 

Because  the  individual  is  but  one  of  a  number 
constituting  the  average,  there  must  needs  be  a 
greater  or  less  modification  of  quantities,  therefore, 
to  a  limited  extent,  each  one  must  be  '^a  law  unto 
himself." 

The  popular  safeguard  against  deficiencies  lies 
in  the  use  of  an  indiscriminate  ''mixed  diet,"  but 
which  carries  with  it  the  liability  to  excess,  to  say 
nothing  about  improper  articles  of  food  and  misera- 
ble modes  of  cooking. 

Having  for  awhile  practically  applied  the  general 
teachings  of  science  regarding  foods,  etc.,  there 
steps  in  another  reliable  advisor  of  a  specific  and 
more  personal  nature,  viz.,  a  normal  appetite. 
That  this  may  be  secured,  one  should  conform  to 
the  conditions  of  assimilation  of  nutrients  and  the 
functional  expenditure  of  their  appropriated  ener- 
gy, otherwise  the  waste  of  food  materials  will  de- 
feat his  plans  by  rendering  useless  the  quantity- 


NUTRIENTS  REQUIRED.  67 

estimates  of  table  I.  The  foods  should  be  properly 
cooked,  thoroughly  insalivated,  and  taken  at  regu- 
lar intervals;  with  sufficient  fresh  air,  exercise, 
sleep,  etc. 

The  following  tables  are  intended  to  furnish  a 
ready  means  of  practically  adjusting  the  propor- 
tions and  quantities  of  nutrients  needed  in  individ- 
ual cases,  as  also  the  weights  of  various  foods,  ex- 
cluding flesh,  required  to  supply  the  several  nutri- 
ents. 

TABLE  I. 

If  the  approximate  quantities  of  nutrients  required 
daily  by  a  man  of  average  weight  be  reduced  to  the 
needs  of  a  person  supposed  to  weigh  100  pounds, 
we  will  have  the  following  figures : 


For  hard  work 
For  light  work 


Protein.  Fats.  Carbohydrates. 

OUNCES.  OUNCES.  OUNCES. 

(  3.5  3.5  9.5 

(    or        3.5  1.67  14.7 

S  3.0  3.0  9.5 

\    or        3.0  1.5  14.7 


For  the  sedentary  and  (         2.25  to  2.4    2.25  to  2.4    4.75  to    5.8 
those  below  the  averajfe  -| 
In  health,  age,  etc.  {  or    2.25  to  2.4    1.0  to  1.14    9.43  to  10.0 

As  this  table  is  based  on  the  general  conditions 
specified,  extraordinary  exertion  would  demand 
larger  quantities  of  food  materials  than  the  maxi- 
mum figures  indicate;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
invalid  and  those  exceptionably  below  the  average 
in  any  particular  require  less  than  the  minimum 
quantities  named,  until  better  health  demands  in- 
creased quantities. 

The  difficulties  of  fixing  a  standard  dietary  have 
already  been  referred  to — the  varying  internal  and 


68 


THE  SOURCES  OF  OUR  FOODS. 


external  conditions  have  each  a  voice  in  the  mat- 
ter; but  we  have  endeavored  to  present  a  sliding 
scale,  within  limitations,  which  may  serve  as  a 
general  guide  to  those  realizing  that  a  proper  diet- 
ary means  not  only  quantity,  but  quality  and  rela- 
tive proportions ;  who  know  the  importance  of  a 
proper  adjustment  of  foods,  so  that  the  supplies  of 
each  class  will,  as  nearly  as  possible,  equal  the 
systemic  wants — the  waste  and  repair  balancing 
each  other — that  disease  may  be  avoided  or  cured 
by  guarding  against  either  extreme  of  a  partially 
starvation  diet  or  that  of  the  gourmand.  A  person 
may  be  filled  to  repletion,  and  yet  suffer  from  in- 
anition ;  or  may  feel  comparatively  empty,  and  still 
be  over-fed ;  hence  the  common  origin  of  most  dis- 
eases. 


TABLE  II. 


This  table  shows  the  relation  between  height  and 
weight,  or  what  a  person  of  given  height  should 
weigh  if  in  a  normal  condition. 


Height^ 

Weight, 

5  feet 

0  inches  = 

= 

115  av.  lbs. 

5  " 

1   " 

(i 

120 

(( 

5  '' 

3   " 

(( 

125 

a 

5  " 

3   " 

(. 

130 

u 

5  " 

4   " 

(( 

135 

t( 

5  '• 

5   '' 

(( 

140 

(t 

5  " 

6   " 

u 

143 

(( 

6  " 

7   " 

u 

145 

(( 

5  " 

8   '' 

u 

148 

(( 

5  " 

9   " 

(( 

155 

(( 

5  " 

10   " 

(( 

160 

i( 

5  " 

11  " 

(i 

165 

(( 

6  '• 

0   " 

(( 

170 

(( 

6  '' 

1   *' 

(t 

175 

u 

6  " 

2   " 

u 

180 

(t 

6  " 

8   " 

(( 

185 

(( 

6  " 

4   " 

(I 

190 

4( 

IMPORTANT  TABLES.  69 

As  will  be  observed  in  tables  III,  IV  and  V,  only 
the  first  column  of  figures  shows  the  number  of 
ounces  required,  of  a  given  food,  to  supply  one 
ounce  of  the  nutrient  named  at  the  head  of  the 
column ;  the  remaining  columns  give  the  quantities 
of  the  other  two  nutrients  contained  in  the  number 
of  ounces  designated  in  the  first  column.  For  ex- 
ample :  upon  referring  to  table  III,  it  will  be  seen 
that  to  obtain  1  oz.  of  protein  from  cheese  we  must 
use  2.63  oz.,  which  quantity  also  contains  0.24  oz. 
of  carbohydrates  and  0.184  oz.  of  fatty  matters. 

In  making  use. of  these  tables,  consult  the  first 
column  of  table  III  to  find  the  quantities  necessary 
to  furnish  1  oz.  of  protein ;  the  first  column  of  table 
IV  for  1  oz.  of  carbohydrates,  and  the  first  column 
of  table  V  for  1  oz.  of  fatty  matters.  When  the 
second  and  third  columns  show  appreciable  quanti- 
ties they  should  enter  into  the  calculation. 


\ 


TABLE    III. 

1  av.  oz.  of 
Foods.  Protein    Carbohydrates    Fats 

contained  in :  contained:  contained: 

OUNCES.  OUNCES.  OUNCES. 

Cheese,  skimmed  milk .        .      2.C3       =  0.^4  =  0.184 

Cheese,  whole  milk  .        .          3.7         "  0.11  "  1.26 

Lentils 3.7          "  1.16  "  0.685 

Beans 4.06        "  2.27  '*  0.081 

Pease 4.17        *'  2.45  "  0.075 

Gluten  of  whole  wheat    .           4.81        "  2.13  "  0.259 

Flour,  whole  wheat,  except  j.   5  97        u  39^  u  o.ll9 
outer  sueil       .        .        .  ) 

Barley  flour,  whole          .           7.22        "  4.5  ''  0.13 

Oatmeal,  common        .        .      7.32        "  5.58  "  0.449 

Corn  (maize)     .        .        .           7.81  '      "  4.84  "  0.547 

Flour,  bolted         .        .        .      8.2          "  5.62  "  0.098 

Barley  meal,  common     .          8.51        "  6.04  "  0.145 


70 


THE  SOURCES  OP  OUR  FOODS. 


TABLE  III.    Continued. 


Foods. 


lav.  oz.  of 

Protein    Carbohydrates    Fats 
contained  in :       contained:      contained: 


OUNCES. 

OUNCBS. 

OUNCES. 

Buckwheat   .        .        .        .8.77 

(t 

5.17 

i( 

0.328 

Bread,  bolted  flour,  home- 1  o  ng 
made       ...          )     ' 

t( 

5.0 

(( 

0.183 

Rye  flour,  common .        .          9.13 

it 

6.51 

i( 

0.183 

Rice 14.8 

(I 

11.11 

(( 

0.073 

Rye  bread,  common,  home-  [  m  io 
made       .        .        .         [  ^^'^^ 

(t 

7.77 

(( 

0.077 

Pease,  very  young  .        .        16.5 

ti 

3.15 

u 

Cow's  milk,  skimmed  .        .    19.61 

i( 

1.27 

(( 

Cow's  buttermilk    .        .        20.83 

«i* 

1.35 

l( 

Cow's  milk    ....    21.05 

(t 

0.84 

l( 

0.787 

Cabbage    .        .        .    -    .        37.04 

(( 

2.86 

ii 

Beans,  very  young      .        .    49.03 

(1 

2.94 

ii 

Sago 100.0 

ii 

82.0 

ii 

Butter ICO.O 

it 

ii 

89.0 

Turnips     .        .        ,        .       100.0 

it 

7.0 

ii 

Potato,  available  protein  .  125.0 

(( 

26.35 

ii 

0.287 

Sweet  Potato,        '*               143.0 

4( 

38.18 

ii 

0.329 

TABLE    IV 

. 

.     1  av.  oz.  < 

3f 

Foods.                         Carbohydrates 

Protein 

Fats 

contained  i 

in: 

contained 

I :     contained : 

OUWCBS. 

OUNCES. 

OUNCES 

Sago 1.23 

=> 

0.0133 

» 

Rice 1.29 

0.09 

t( 

0.000 

Oatmeal,  common     .        .        .    1.31 

0.179 

ii 

0.08 

Rye  flour,  common       .        .        1.4 

0.153 

it 

0.028 

Barley  meal,  common      .        .    1.41 

0.165 

ii 

0.024 

Flour,  bolted         .        .        .         1.46 

0.178 

ii 

0.017 

Flour,  whole  wheat,  except  j.    ■<  50 
outer  shell      .        .        .    ) 

0.354 

ii 

0.03 

Barley  flour,  whole  .       .       .1.6 

0.331 

ii 

1,029 

Corn  (maize)  ,        .        .        .1.61 

0.306 

ii 

0.113 

Buckwheat         .        .        .        .1.7 

0.194 

ii 

0.044 

Pease      .       .       ...        1.7 

0.41 

it 

0.031 

IMPORTANT  TABLES. 


TABLE  IV.    Continued. 


71 


1  av.  oz.  of 
Foods.  Carbohydrates 

contained  in: 

OUNCES. 

Lentils 1.71 

Beans 1.8 

Bread,  bolted  flour,  home-made  1.83 

Gluten  of  wheat,  whole       .         2.03 

Rye  bread,  common,  home- )     o  no 
made        .        .        .        .    }    ^.0« 

Sweet  potato     .        .        .        .3.75 


(( 


ki 


ti 


(( 


(t 


(( 


Potato 

Pease,  very  young    . 

Cheese,  skimmed  milk 

Cabbage 

Turnips  .        .        .        . 

Cow's  milk,  skimmed 

Cow's  buttermilk  . 

Beans,  very  young    . 

Cow's  milk 

Cheese,  whole  milk  . 


Foods. 


Butter 

Cheese,  whole  milk 

Cheese,  skimmed  milk   . 

Corn  (maize) 

Oatmeal,  common  . 

Gluten  of  whole  wheat 

Cow's  milk       .... 

Buckwheat    .... 

Bread,   bolted  flour,   home- ) 
made        .        .        .        .     ) 

Rye  flour,  common  . 

Flour,  whole  wheat,  except ) 
outer  shell  ...        J 


4.76 
.    7.67 
.       11.11 
.  12.5 
.       14.3 
.  15.38 
15.38 
.  16.67 
.       25.0 

.  •     Oij.OO 

TABLE   V. 

1  av.  oz.  of 

Fats 
contained  in: 

OUNCES. 

.      1.123    -= 

2.941 
.    14.8 

14.3 
.    16.525 

16.666 
.    28.57 

38.461 


i( 


(( 


(( 


i( 


II 


4( 


(( 


tl 


Ik 


II 


Protein 

contained : 

OUNCES. 

0.46 
0.444 
0.2 
0.468 

0.129 

0.262 

0.038 

0.465 

4.222 

0.337 

0.143 

0.784 

0.738 

0.34 

1.188 

9.0 


II 
II 
II 
II 

II 

II 
ii 
II 


Fats 
contained: 

OUNCES. 

0.032 
0.036 
0.036 
0.121 

0.01 

0.009 
0.011 


♦*    0.778 

II    


II 
11 

(I 
II 


50.0 
50.0 
60.0 


II 


II 


II 


Protein 
contained: 

OUNCES. 

.  0.0112 
0.794 
5.434 
1.83 
2.357 
3.862 
1.357 
4.384 

5.5 

6.485 
8.37 


"    0.875 
"  11.33 


Carho- 

hydrates 
contained: 

OUNCES. 


0.088 
1.278 
8.866 

12.598 
8.235 
1.143 

22.691 

27.5 
35  63 
33.0 


72  THE  SOURCES  OF  OUR  FOODS. 

TABLE   V.    Continued. 


1  av.  oz.  of 

Carbo- 

Foods.                                  Fats 

Protein 

hydrates 

contained  in : 

contained : 

contained; 

OUNCES. 

OUNCES. 

OUNCES. 

Beans 50.0 

12.325 

"    28.0 

Lentils        ...        .        .        .54.05 

14.593 

"    31.543 

Pease 55.556 

13.333 

*'    32.608 

Barley  meal,  common     .        .    58.48 

6.871 

''    41.521 

Flour,  bolted        .        .        .         83.33 

10.158 

'*    57.106 

Rice 19G.07 

13.725 

"  152.346 

Rye  bread,  common,  home- )  ^Qg  gg 
made  ....         ) 

18.916 

"  100.353 

Potato           ....        435.00 

3.480 

*'    91.35 

Sweet  potato  ....    435.00 

3.480 

"  116.145 

We  have  included  in  our  tables  the  dairy  pro- 
ducts, as  milk  is  just  over  the  line  that  divides  vege- 
table and  animal  foods.  Milk  contains  all  the  nutri- 
ents, and  in  such  proportions  that  it  is  nearer  a 
perfect  food  than  any  other  of  animal  origin.  With 
bread  or  other  starchy  material  it  is  an  admirable 
food  for  adults.  The  whole  wheat  stands  foremost 
as  a  nearly,  if  not  quite,  perfect  food.  Made  into 
bread  and  eaten  with  milk  or  a  little  butter  it  is  all 
that  can  be  desired. 

Those,  however,  who  prefer  a  strictly  vegetarian 
dietary,  can  substitute  olive  or  cottonseed  oil  and 
nuts  (especially  during  cold  weather)  for  butter  and 
fat  of  meats — the  latter  is  also  represented  by  the 
starches,  sugars  and  cellulose  of  vegetable  products. 
Flesh  has  its  counterpart  in  casein  of  pease,  beans 
and  lentils,  gluten  of  wheat  and  fibrin  of  oatmeal. 

The  cereals  generally,  or  foods  rich  in  protein, 
abound  in  all  necessary  mineral  matter,  largely  in 
the  form  of  phosphates — gluten  of  wheat,  whole 
wheat  flour,  oatmeal  and  barley  head  the  list. 


WEIGHING  OUR  FOOD.  73 

Preference  should  be  given  to  cereals  that  have 
been  deprived  of  their  outer  shell,  while  retaining 
the  bran  coats. 

Gluten  of  wheat  is  one  of  the  best  articles  of  diet 
to  aid  in  reducing  excessive  fatness. 

We  fully  expect  to  arouse  the  usual  amount  of 
prejudice  against  the  unusual  feature  of  letting  the 
scales  determine  the  amount  of  food  to  be  taken. 
All  we  have  to  say  in  extenuation  is  that  we  sug- 
gest this  mode  as  the  scientific  and  only  reliable 
method. 

To  the  one  in  a  thousand  who  is  as  particular 
about  correctness  in  the  weight  of  food  swallowed, 
as  in  weight  purchased,  we  would  advise, — until 
the  eye  and  normal  appetite  are  able  to  portion  off 
quantities  with  tolerable  accuracy, —  that  he  makes 
a  practical  use  of  these  tables,  which  require : 

1.  Weighing  articles  of  food  before  and  after 
cooking,  until  relative  weights  are  ascertained. 

2.  Measuring  the  height  of  the  person  to  find  from 
table  II  what  the  weight  ought  to  be. 

3.  Ascertaining  from  table  I  the  quantity  of  each 
of  the  nutrients  needed  per  day  or  meal,  figured 
for  what  the  weight  of  the  person  should  be. 

4.  Adjusting  from  tables  III,  IV  and  V  the  re- 
quired quantities  of  an  agreeable  variety  of  foods, 
for  every  day  of  the  week,  sufficient  to  supply  the 
needed  nutrients. 

For  bulk,  or  quantity  without  much  nutriment, 
fruits  are  most  useful.  There  can  also  be  added 
such  watery  vegetables  as  salads,  carrots,  turnips, 
tomatoes,  cauliflowers,  potatoes,  spinach,  cabbages, 
beets,  onions,  parsnips,  squash,  pumpkins,  etc. 
The  importance  of  fruits  as  an  adjunct  to  the  foods 

4 


74  THE  SOURCES   OF  OUR  FOODS. 

rich  in  nutrients  can  hardly  be  overestimated. 
Among  other  advantages,  the  writer  has  found  by 
actual  trial  that  the  vegetable  acids  are  powerful 
solvents  of  legumin  or  vegetable  casein. 

The  foregoing  tables  include  only  good  foods; 
and  the  character  and  proportions  of  their  consti- 
tuents show  how  abundantly  the  vegetable  king- 
dom furnishes  all  the  nutrients,  notwithstanding 
the  popular  notion  that  strength  is  dependent  on  a 
flesh  diet. 

A  word  about  beans.  These  are  usually  difficult 
to  digest,  but  are  so  important  a  food  that  they  can 
hardly  be  dispensed  with.  The  outer  coat  or  skin 
of  the  bean  is  the  mischief  maker,  and  should  be 
removed  for  the  same  reason  we  peel  a  potato.  To 
do  this,  previous  to  baking,  after  soaking  the  beans 
as  usual  over  night  or  longer,  rub  them  between 
the  hands.  A  less  troublesome  plan  is  to  boil  the 
beans  instead  of  baking  them,  and  then  rub  them 
through  a  colander.  Beans  should  be  cooked  at 
least  eight  hours,  and  preferably  longer. 

M.  B.  Manwaring. 


CHAPTER  YI. 
THE  ECO]J^OMY  OF  FOODS. 

There  is  a  true  and  a  false  economy  in  selecting 
our  food.  A  true  economy  selects  that  which  is 
most  nourishing,  most  vrholesome  and  best  adapted 
to  the  bodily  requirements.  The  question  of  ex- 
pense is  a  secondary  matter.  I  have  never  taken 
much  interest  in  any  plan  calculated  to  reduce  the 
cost  of  our  daily  food  to  a  minimum  unless,  at  the 
same  time,  the  idea  of  maintaining  the  health  and 
strength  were  considered  as  paramount.  If  a  man 
can  be  fed  on  a  penny  a  day,  and  nourished  so  as 
to  be  capable  of  doing  only  300  foot-tons  of  work, 
or  two-thirds  as  much  as  a  well-fed  man,  and  if  it 
costs  a  dollar  to  feed  him  so  that  he  can  accom- 
plish a  full  day's  work  of  not  less  than  400  tons, 
then  the  latter  food  is  most  economical.  It  is, 
however,  very  fortunate  that  the  most  wholesome, 
nourishing  and  suitable  foods  are  cheapest,  so  that 
a  man  must  be  very  poor  indeed  to  starve  if  he 
knows  how  to  adapt  means  to  ends  in  the  daily 
rounds  of  his  life.  Most  of  us  pay  for  flavors, 
delicacies  or  dainties  more  than  we  need  to  for 
abundant  nourishment.  If  an  article  of  diet  does 
not  suit  our  taste,  no  matter  how  wholesome  and 
nourishing  it  is,  v/e  discard  it  for  something  less 
nutritious  but  more  expensive. 

(75) 


76  THE  ECONOMY  OF  FOODS. 

The  most  economical  food  is  that  derived  from 
the  vegetable  kingdom.  The  Greek  peasant,  a 
most  frugal,  hardy  and  industrious  person,  often 
capable  of  bearing  great  burdens,  lives  principally 
on  bread,  olive  oil  and  fruit,  the  entire  cost  of 
which  is  rarely  over  four  cents  a  day.  The  same  is 
true  of  the  Russian,  Italian  and  Spanish  peasants. 

Charles  Darwin  says  in  a  letter  on  this  subject : 
''1  have  always  been  astonished  at  the  fact  that 
the  most  extraordinary  workers  I  ever  saw,  viz., 
the  laborers  in  the  mines  of  Chili,  live  exclusively 
on  vegetable  food,  including  many  seeds  of  legu- 
minous plants,"  the  whole  expense  of  which  could 
hardly  have  been  over  a  few  cents. 

It  is  very  true  that  hard-working  men,  living 
much  in  the  open  air,  can  extract  more  nourish- 
ment from  plain,  coarse  food  than  sedentary  per- 
sons, whose  powers  of  digestion  have  been  weak- 
ened by  debilitating  habits ;  but  this  does  not  alter 
the  general  fact  that  vegetable  foods  are  cheaper 
than  animal.  I  have  asked  Mr.  M.  B.  Man  waring, 
author  of  one  of  the  preceding  chapters,  to  calcu- 
late for  me  some  tables  showing  the  cost  of  protein, 
carbohydrates  and  fats  in  a  few  of  our  principle 
articles  of  diet,  in  order  that  this  subject  may 
have  a  practical  illustration.  Tables  VI,  YII  and 
VIII  are  the  result  of  his  studies.  I  preface  them 
with  his  letter  of  explanation. 

Bayonne,  N.  J".,  Feb.  14,  1888. 

Dr.  Holbrook: 

My  Dear  Sir:  The  following  tables  comple- 
ment the  preceding  by  showing  what  the  consumer 
actually  pays  for  sufficient  of  each  food  to  furnish 


EXPLANATORY  LETTER.  77 

a  pound  of  each  of  the  several  nutrients,  at  aver- 
age retail  prices  in  New  York.  The  basis  of  the 
calculations  is  the  relation  to  each  other  of  14,  7 
and  12  for  protein,  carbohydrates  and  fats  respect- 
ively. Should  this  relation  be  considered  some- 
what arbitrary,  results  at  least  show  compar^ative 
costs,  which,  after  all,  is  the  real  value  of  such 
tables. 

In  figuring  the  cost  of  a  pound  of  a  given 
nutrient,  allowance  has  been  made  for  the  cost  of 
the  other  nutrients  contained  in  the  food ;  in  other 
words,  when  calculating  the  cost  of  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  a  food  to  supply  a  pound  of  protein,  the 
relative  costs  of  carbohydrates  and  fats  also  in  the 
food  have  been  deducted. 

In  each  table  the  articles  of  food  are  arranged  in 
the  order  of  the  comparative  cost  of  a  pound  of  the 
nutrient  named,  that  standing  first  which  is  cheap- 
est, and  the  most  expensive  last.  This  order  of 
arrangement  of  course  has  no  regard  to  the  order 
of  costs  or  quantities  of  commercial  foods,  for  the 
quantities  required  of  the  latter  vary  greatly,  as 
shown  by  the  preceding  tables,  and  a  food  appar- 
ently more  expensive  than  another  may  actually  be 
cheaper. 

The  figures  are  carried  out  to  four  places  when 
the  amounts  are  less  than  even  cents,  as  rounding 
off  would  give  too  high  results  when  multiplied. 
To  express  these  decimals  of  a  cent  in  fractions 
would  make  the  figures  less  easy  to  handle. 

The  cost  of  apples  given  is  the  only  case  wherein 
I  am  not  thoroughly  satisfied.  No  satisfactory  in- 
formation could  be  obtained  from  wholesalers — dif- 
erent  apples  weighed  differently  per  bbl.     Eighteen 


78  THE  ECONOMY  OF  FOOD. 

or  twenty  different  retail  grocers  were  called  on, 
but  there  was  no  agreement  whatever  as  to  the 
weight  of  a  bbl.  or  a  measure  of  apples.  Further- 
more, different  grocers  made  a  different  number 
of  pecks  to  the  bbl.,  varying  from  nine  to  thirteen, 
etc.,  etc.  As  regards  some  other  articles  I  made 
my  own  corrections,  for  example,*  potatoes,  onions, 
sweet  potatoes,  etc.  While  the  legal  weights  are 
one  thing,  the  actual  weights  are  quite  another. 
You  will  notice  several  curious  results — for  in- 
stance. Table  YII,  corn,  costs  .0286  cents  per  lb., 
and  the  carbohydrates  in  it  cost  the  same.  Again, 
butter  at  30c.  per  lb.  costs  less  than  the  fat  in  milk. 
Here  we  have  labor  added  and  a  cheaper  product; 
hut  the  price  of  milk  is  regulated  by  the  cost  of 
cartage  and  the  loss  in  transit,  which  appear  to 
overbalance  the  labor  of  butter  making. 

The  number  of  eggs  required  to  make  a  pound, 
was  determined  by  boiling  about  a  dozen  or  more 
eggs,  removing  the  shells,  and  weighing.  A  curi- 
ous fact  was  thereby  discovered,  viz.,  that  eggs 
lose  water  by  boiling  them  in  water,  the  same 
as  if  heated  in  the  open  air.  An  egg  weighing  55 
grm.  before  boiling  weighed  51.2  grm.  after  boiling 
thirteen  minutes. 

While  the  figuring  of  these  tables  was  quite  com- 
plicated, the  results  will  enable  any  one  to  estimate 
the  costs  of  a  pound  of  nutrients  at  any  other  mar- 
ket price,  by  simple  proportion.  An  example 
of  this  is  given  in  the  case  of  beef,  moderately  fat, 
in  Table  YI.  In  one  case  beef  at  12  cents  costs  for 
a  pound  of  protein  .4647  cents,  or  about  462-  cents; 
the  other  at  24  cents  costs  for  a  pound  of  protein 
93  cents — double  the  cost  of  beef  obviously  doubles 


EXPLANATORY  LETTER.  79 

the  cost  of  all  its  nutrients,  hence  doubles  the  cost 
of  the  pound  of  protein.  I  certainly  would  make  a 
point  of  this  so  that  readers  can  estimate  the  cost  of 
nutrients  for  any  fluctuations  in  market  prices,  or 
any  variations  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
The  great  use  of  these  tables  is  the  double  one 
of  showing  people  how  to  live  cheaper,  and  that 
vegetable  foods  not  alone  supply  all  the  nutrients, 
but  for  much  less  money,  aside  from  other  advan- 
tages. 

One  thing  is  certain,  any  reader  who  does  not 
even  take  the  trouble  to  look  at  the  figures,  will  see 
that  any  article  of  food  that  precedes  another  in 
the  tables  is  cheaper  than  the  succeeding  article 
for  the  nutrient  named ;  and  while  but  few  would 
or  could  retain  in  the  memory  the  actual  costs  of 
the  nutrients,  the  order  of  arrangement  would  soon 
fix  itself  in  the  memory ;  especially  the  cheapness 
of  the  vegetables  and  the  expensiveness  of  flesh — 
that  corn  is  cheapest  and  oysters  and  lager  beer 
the  dearest,  etc. 

The  calculations  have  been  carefully  checked,  so 
that  they  can  be  relied  upon.  However,  analyses 
vary  considerably,  and  where  I  could  I  have  aver- 
aged them. 

Troublesome  as  it  would  be,  it  would  be  a  grand 
THING  for  some  one  not  only  to  figure  out  the  costs 
per  pound  of  nutrients  for  all  our  foods,  as  well  as 
the  quantities  of  each  food  required  for  a  pound  of 
nutrient,  but  to  make  out  economical  bills  of  fare 
including  a  good  variety,  that  would  supply  all  the 
nutrients  in  sufficient  quantities  and  in  the  right 
proportions  to  each  other,  for  a  man  of  a  supposed 
weight  of  100  lbs.      Such  a  scheme  would  neces- 


80  THE  ECONOMY  OF  FOOD. 

sitate  getting  the  weights  and  volumes  of  foods 
after  they  are  prepared  for  the  table.  This  worked 
out  and  put  in  a  practical  shape  would  prove  a 
great  boon  to  our  working  classes,  as  well  as  to 
the  poor  in'  health.  And  such  a  scheme  would  be 
an  undertaking. 

Yours  truly, 

M.  B.  Manwaring. 


TABLE  VI. 

Cost  of  One  Pound 

FOODS.                                  Market  Prices  of 

•per  pound.  Protein. 

$  cents.  $  cents. 

Com  (maize) 0286  .0574 

Oatmeal,  common 0343  .06 

Flour,  bolted 0306  .0644 

Rye  Flour,  common         .        .        .         .0343  .071 

Flour,  whole  wheat  except  outer  shell    .04  .0777 

Pease 0437  .0778 

Beans 0516  .095 

Buckwheat 043  .10 

Potato,  available  protein — 85  cents  )      q .^g  1235 

per  bushel )     ' 

Onions  (bulbs)  red,  $1.35  per  bushel    .027  .1353 

Lentils       .......         .10  .1707 

Rice        .        .        .        .     *   .        .        .    .08  .1728 

Sweet  Potato,  $1.35  per  bushel     .         .027  .189 

Barley,  whole  (granulated)         .        .    .09  .193 

Barley  Flour,  common    ...         .10  .2054 

Gluten  of  whole  wheat        .        .        .    .11  .2074 

Onions  (bulbs)  white,  $2. 13  per  bushel    .0426  .313 

Buttermilk,  4  cents  per  quart    .        .    .02  .236 

Sago           ......         .10  .238 

Apples,  $2.00  per  bbl 0171  .2482 

Mutton,  very  fat 135  .    .2717 


TABLE  VII. — CARBOHYDRATES. 


81 


TABLE  VI.— Continued. 


FOODS. 


Cheese,  skimmed  milk 

Cabbages 

Beef,  fat         .... 

Cheese,  whole  milk 

Codfish 

Butter 

Cow's  Milk,  8  cents  per  quart 

Veal,  fat 

Mutton,  moderately  fat 

Grapes,  native  .... 

Beef,  moderately  fat    . 

Veal,  lean  ..... 

Beef,  lean       .... 

Beef,  average 24 

Eels 15 

Beef,  moderately  fat       ...         .24 

Salmon 25 

Beef,  lean 24 

Eggs,  9  7-10  without  shell  =  1  lb.,   )       oii 
30  cents  per  doz j-     .^^i 

Lager  Beer,  5  cents  per  glass  of  )       ^q 
half  pint )     ' 

Oysters,  3)  cents  per  quart,  =  1^  )       o^^ 
lb.  solid i     "^^ 


Market  Prices 
per  pound. 
$  cents. 
.14 
.02 
.12 
.18 
.08 
.30 
.0381 
.10 
.10 
.06 
.12 
.10 
.13 


Cost  of  One  Pound 

of 

Protein. 

$  cents. 

.287 

.296 

.2974 

.312 

.3783 

.8881 

.39 

.396 

.4341 

.437 

.4647 

.486 

.547 

.5948 

.839 

.98 
1.037 
1.094     . 

1.882 
2.855 
3.79 


FOODS. 

Com  (Maize) 
Oatmeal,  common 
Flour,  bolted 
Pease .        ,       . 

4* 


TABLE 

VIL 

•                • 

Costs  of  One  Pound 
Market  Prices                 of 
per  pound.        Carhohydrates. 
$  cents.                $  cents. 
.     .0286                   .0286 

•                • 

.0343                   .03 

•                • 

.     .0306                   .0322 

•               • 

.0427                  .0388 

82 


THE  ECONOMY  OF  FOOD. 


TABLE  VII.— Continued. 

FOODS,  Market  Prices 

per  pound. 
$  cents. 

Eye  Flour,  common 0343 

Flour,  whole  wheat  except  outer  shell    .04 

Beans 0516 

Buckwheat 043 

Potato,  85  cents  per  bushel         .        .    .0142 
Sweet  Potato,  $1.35  per  bushel     .         .027 
Onions  (bulbs)  red,  $1.35  per  bushel      .027 

Lentils 10 

Rice 08 

Barley,  whole  (granulated)    .        .         .09 
Barley  Flour,  common        .        .        .     .10 
Gluten  of  whole  wheat  .        .        .         .11 
Onions  (bulbs)  white,  $2. 13  per  bushel    .0426 
Buttermilk,  4  cents  per  quart        .         .019 

Sago 10 

Apples,  $2.00  per  bbl.      .        .        .         .0171 
Cheese,  skimmed  milk        .        ,        .    .14 

Cabbages 03 

Cheese,  whole  milk 18 

Cow's  Milk,  8  cents  per  quart       .         .0381 

Grapes,  native 06 

Lager  Beer,  5  cents  per  glass  of  i-pint    .10 


Costs  of  One  Pound 

of 

Carbohydrates* 

$  cents. 

.0354 

.0389 

.0476 

.051 

.0617 

.0657 

.0673 

.0866 

.0867 

.0965 

.1028 

.1037 

.1063 

.1181 

.119 

.1242 

.1443 

.149 
.  .1561 

.1953 

.218 
1.427 


TABLE  VIII. 


FOODS.  Market  Prices 

per  pound. 
$  cents. 
Corn  (maize) 0286 

Oatmeal,  common 0343 

Flour,  bolted         .        .        .        .        .    .0306 

Rye  Flour,  common        .        .        .         .0343 

Flour,  whole  wheat  except  outer  shell    .04 


Costs  of  One  Pound 

of 

Fats. 

$  cents. 

.0492 

.0507 

.0553 

.0608 

.0666 


TABLE  VIII. — FATS.  83 

-       TABLE  VIII.-CoQtinued. 

Costs  of  One  Pound 

FOODS,                                Market  Prices  of 

per  pound.  Fats. 

$  cents.  %  cents 

Pease 0427  .0666 

Beans 0516  .0813 

Buckwheat 043  .0854 

Potato,  85  cents  per  bushel    .        .         .0142  .107 

Rice 08  .148 

Lentils 10  .1484 

Barley,  whole  (granulated)         .        .     .09  .165 

Barley  Flour,  common    .        .        .         .10  .1758 

Mutton,  very  fat 125  .2325 

Gluten  of  whole  wheat   ...         .11  .1779 

Cheese,  skimmed  milk        .        .        .    .14  .2474 

Beef,  fat 13  .255 

Cheese,  whole  milk 18  .2676 

Butter 30  .331 

Cow's  Milk,  8  cents  per  quart    .        .    .0381  .335 

Veal,  fat    , 10  .3396 

Mutton,  moderately  fat      .        .        .    .10  .371 

Beef,  moderately  fat       ...         .13  .3977 

Veal,  lean 10  .4318 

Beef,  lean 13  .469 

Codfish 08  .487 

Eels .15  .73 

Salmon 25  .89 

Eggs,  9  7-10  without  shell  =  1  lb.,   )       o^-,  ^  p^^ 

30  cents  per  doz.,  .        .        .        .    i"     "^^^  ■^•^"' 

Oysters,  30  cents  per  quart,  =-  li  [      on  q  oko 

lb.  solid }     -^^  ^'^^^ 


I  have  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  enlarge  these 
tables  so  as  to  have  them  include  all  articles  used 
as  food,  interesting  as  it  might  have  been.  The 
reader  can  make  similar  calculations  for  himself  if 
he  wishes.     I  only  desired  to  show  that  in  practic- 


84  THE  ECONOMY  OF  FOOD. 

ing  economy  in  food  the  true  way  is  to  use  the  best 
foods  from  the  vegetable  kingdom,  and  lesS  meat, 
bearing  in  mind  always  that  articles  which  contain 
a  large  amount  of  protein  are  needed  to  supply  the 
deficiency  caused  by  the  use  of  less  flesh.  It  will 
also  be  noticed  that  the  mineral  matter  of  our  food 
has  been  omitted  from  the  calculation.  The  omis- 
sion, however,  can  not  have  any  perceptible  effect 
on  the  expense  of  food,  important  as  it  is  as  an  arti- 
cle of  nutriment. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  while  the  consti- 
tuents of  some  of  the  foods  are  low  in  price,  yet 
the  quantity  of  them  in  a  pound  is  so  small  that 
a  sufficient  amount  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
body  could  not  be  obtained  without  consuming  more 
than  the  digestive  organs  could  manage.  This  is 
seen  conspicuously  in  the  case  of  the  potato.  It 
would  require  nearly  23^  pounds  of  this  vegetable  to 
furnish  3  ounces  of  protein — an  amount  sufficient 
for  a  person  weighing  100  pounds  and  doing  only 
moderate  work.  This  would  at  the  same  time  fur- 
nish seven  or  eight  times  as  much  carbohydrates  as 
are  required.  Milk  is  another  example.  It  would 
require  about  six  pounds  of  milk  daily  to  supply  the 
protein  for  a  man  doing  only  moderate  work  and 
weighing  150  pounds.  This  would  also  supply  him 
with  about  two-thirds  of  the  fat  required,  but  not 
nearly  enough  of  the  carbohydrates. 

I  ought,  perhaps,  to  remark  that  writers  on  diet- 
etics tell  us  that  animal  food  is  more  easily  digested 
than  vegetable,  and  also  that  more  of  it  is  absorbed 
in  the  digestive  processes,  and,  consequently,  there 
is  less  tax  on  the  organs  of  digestion,  and  this  should 
be  considered  in  discussing  the  economy  of  any 


MEAT  eaters'  DIGESTION.  85 

food.  There  may  be  some  truth  in  this,  for  those 
who  have  long  habituated  their  stomachs  to  flesh, 
and  who  have  debilitated  them  by  sedentary  and 
unhygienic  habits;  but  for  those,  who  have  lived 
in  a  more  healthful  and  natural  manner,  I  believe 
this  objection  has  little  or  no  force.  The  digestive 
organs,  like  all  other  organs  of  the  body,  are  subject 
to  the  law  of  habit,  and  they  do  that  most  easily 
which  they  have  been  accustomed  to  do. 

Sir  William  Thompson  says :  '*  The  meat  eater's 
digestion  is  taxed  with  a  far  less  quantity  of  solid 
food,  but  that  very  concentration  in  regard  to  quality 
entails  on  some  stomachs  an  expenditure  of  force 
in  digestion  equal  to  that  required  by  the  vegetable 
eater  to  assimilate  his  much  larger  proportions." 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  economy  of  food  is 
promoted  by  a  right  relation  of  the  proportions  be- 
tween its  various  constituents.  Fats  and  starches 
cannot  serve  the  purpose  of  protein.  Protein,  on 
the  other  hand,  may  take  the  place  of  the  carbo- 
hydrates or  fats,  but  only  at  a  loss  of  47  per  cent, 
of  the  total  amount  transformed  and  used  for  pro- 
ducing heat. 

Something  might  be  said  of  economy  in  food  by 
saving  rather  than  wasting.  Very  few  know  how 
much  valuable  material  is  thrown  away.  This  is  a 
fault  of  the  rich  and  poor  alike.  Some  years  ago  I 
asked  a  wealthy  patient  if  he  would  have  an  estimate 
made  for  me  of  the  number  of  pounds  of  flesh  used 
by  each  person  in  his  family,  including  his  servants. 
A  few  days  later  he  brought  me  the  statement  that 
three  pounds  was  about  the  amount  purchased  for 
each  one;  ''but,"  he  added,  *'I  think  two-thirds 
of  it  is  wasted."    The  poor  add  to  the  expense  of  liv- 


86  THE   ECONOMY  OF  FOOD. 

ing  because  they  purchase  such  small  quantities  at  a 
time;  because  often  from  pride  they  choose  the  most 
expensive  articles,  and  because  they  do  not  prepare 
it  so  as  to  make  it  all  available  to  the  system. 

It  is  poor  economy  to  buy  stale  vegetables,  even 
at  a  reduced  price.  Fresh  flour,  fresh  fruits  and 
other  articles  are  both  healthier  and  more  nourish- 
ing than  if  old.  Even  before  decay  has  actually  set 
jn  there  has  been  a  molecular  change  in  the  consti- 
tuents of  the  food  which  renders  it  less  nutritious. 

There  is  also  a  loss  from  cooking  some  things  too 
much  or  too  little,  and  both  these  evils  must  be 
avoided. 

I  am  certain  that  there  is  a  loss  of  nutriment  in 
cooking  most  of  our  fruits.  The  real  value  of  them 
cannot  be  determined  by  chemical  analyses.  Some  of 
their  properties  are  so  subtle  as  to  elude  our  grasp, 
but  we  feel  their  effects  when  we  take  them  into  our 
systems  in  refreshment.  They  no  doubt  act  largely 
through  the  nervous  system,  and  may  be  electrical 
in  their  nature.  Cooking  destroys  this.  I  do  not 
say  that  these  articles  should  never  be  cooked,  but 
only  that  there  is  loss  in  cooking  them,  especially  if 
we  can  eat  them  perfectly  fresh  and  alive.  The  life, 
the  soul  of  fruits  are  lost  in  cooking.  The  child 
understands  this.  With  what  delight  he  looks  on 
the  apple,  the  pear,  the  peach,  the  grape  !  How  he 
longs  to  clutch  them  in  his  hands  and  to  hurry  them 
into  his  mouth  !  If  used  rightly  their  value  to  him 
is  inestimable. 

In  urging  a  larger  use  of  vegetable  food  I  do  not 
forget  that  most  persons  who  prepare  food  hav^ 
given  more  attention  to  the  preparation  of  animal 
substances  than  vegetable,  and  so  as  a  matter  of 


MATERIA  ALIMENTARIA.  87 

economy  it  will  pay  well  to  reverse  this  order  and 
give  vegetable  foods  more  attention.  Dr.  B.  W.  Rich- 
ardson says  on  this  subject:  ''Up  to  the  present 
time  CO  much  more  skill  has  been  developed  in  the 
preparation  of  animal  foods  for  the  table  than  has 
been  bestowed  on  vegetables  that  in  order  to  give 
the  vegetarian  system  the  faintest  chance  a  new 
school  of  cookery  will  have  to  be  introduced  in 
which  there  shall  be  taught  not  only  modes  of  cook- 
ing, but  the  actual  dietetic  value  of  everything 
cooked  and  sent  to  the  table." 

Sir  James  Paget  estimates  that  the  time  lost  in 
England  and  Wales  yearly  from  sickness  amounts 
to  20,000,000  weeks.  This  includes  only  losses  of 
those  between  fifteen  and  sixty-five  years  of  age,  and 
does  not  include  the  trivial  headaches  and  pains 
which  do  not  keep  one  from  his  labor.  If  to  this  is 
added  the  sickness  of  those  under  fifteen  and  over 
sixty-five  the  loss  becomes  appalling.  It  is  probably 
more  in  this  country. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  any  food  which 
promotes  health  and  strength  has  in  it  an  element 
of  economy  of  the  highest. value.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  but  the  waste  of  time  and  strength,  and  the 
expense  of  medical  attendance  which,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, is  an  enormous  sum  every  year,  would  be  re- 
duced at  least  one  half  by  choosing  the  best  foods, 
and  preparing  them  in  the  best  manner.  This  can 
only  be  done  by  studying  the  subject  as  a  science 
and  as  an  art.  Materia  Medica  is  an  important  study 
in  all  our  medical  schools.  Materia  Alimentaria 
should  be  a  still  more  important  one  for  every  hu- 
man being.  Until  this  is  the  case  economy  of  food, 
in  its  highest  and  best  sense,  will  not  be  accom- 
plished. 


88  THE  ECONOMY  OF  EOOD. 


A  PRACTICAL  LESSON. 


As  a  practical  illustration  of  economy  in  food,  to- 
gether with  improved  healfch,  I  give  the  following 
letter,  among  many  in  my  possession,  not  as  a 
model  for  others,  for  I  know  well  enough  that  no 
two  persons  are  alike  in  their  needs,  but  to  illustrate 
a  principle.  The  letter  is  from  Mr.  A.  H.  Frank,  a 
well-known  inventor  and  manufacturer,  whose 
machines  have  a  world-wide  use.  Mr.  Frank's  let- 
ter is  so  full  of  interest  that  I  shall  give  it  entire 
and  in  his  own  words. 

Buffalo,  N,  Y.,  March  21,  1888. 
Dr.  M.  L.  Holbrook: 

Dear  Sir — I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  20th 
inst.,  reminding  me  of  my  promise  when  in  New 
York  to  write  you  something  of  my  manner  of  liv- 
ing, its  cost,  etc.  I  have  experimented  considera- 
bly during  the  past  six  years.  Previous  to  that 
time  I  ate  a  mixed  diet,  eating  more  or  less  flesh 
meats ;  I  ate  very  sparingly  of  pies  and  cakes.  The 
last  three  or  four  years  of  my  eating  meat  my 
stomach  was  very  weak.  The  last  year  I  could  not 
eat  a  full  or  average  meal.  At  the  age  of  fifty-eight 
I  was  what  you  might  call  a  pretty  well  used-up 
man.  Six  years  ago  last  August  I  discarded  all  flesh 
meats  and  animal  fats,  and  have  since  that  time 
greatly  improved  in  health.  I  have  had  no  further 
trouble  with  my  stomach,  unless  I  am  careless  and 
eat  too  much,  which  is  the  only  thing  I  have  to 
guard  against,  as  I  have  such  a  good  appetite  three 
times  a  day  every  day  in  the  year,  and  my  food 
tastes  so  delicious  that,  unless  I  am  very  careful,  I 
eat  too  much  before  I  am  aware  of  it.      Tea  and 


MR.  Frank's  letter.  89 

coffee  I  place  with  tobacco  and  alcoholic  drinks, 
and  use  none  of  them.  I  have  not  drunk  a  cup  of 
tea  since  I  was  twelve  years  old,  and  never  drank 
three  cups  of  coffee  in  my  life ;  I  am  past  sixty-four, 
have  excellent  health,  can  do  fine  work,  or  read 
without  spectacles — never  use  them.  I  can  do  more 
work,  either  mental  or  physical,  than  on  a  mixed 
diet.  I  discarded  butter  and  milk  at  the  same  time 
I  did  meat ;  after  about  three  years  I  backslid,  so 
that  I  used  milk  for  a  while.  It  seemed  to  agree 
with  me,  but  all  the  time  I  felt  that  it  was  degrad- 
ing to  employ  an  old  cow  to  eat  for  me,  and  wrong 
to  rob  the  calves  of  what  belonged  to  them,  while 
I  had  an  abundance  of  better  food.  I  am  free  now, 
as  I  am  weaned,  and  shall  never  eat  it  again.  When 
I  once  get  my  foot  on  a  bad  habit  and  make  a  pledge, 
or  say  I  won't,  it  is  for  all  time.  I  made  several 
pledges  over  a  half  century  since  which  have  never 
been  broken.  I  never  drink  at  my  meals,  and  sel- 
dom at  any  time,  as  it  is  often  months  at  a  time  that 
I  do  not  experience  thirst. 

My  principal  food  is  fruit  and  bread  with  no  salt 
with  either;  there  is  plenty  of  pure  water  in  the 
fruit.  I  occasionally  eat  vegetables,  which  I  salt 
a  little;  I  can't  see  that  it  makes  any  difference 
whether  I  eat  salt  or  not.  For  three  years  I  did  not 
eat  one  ounce  of  salt.  During  that  time  I  scarcely 
touched  potatoes  or  other  vegetables.  I  like  them ; 
do  not  think  them  very  bad,  and  as  they  are  more 
palatable  with  salt  I  use  it ;  yet  I  think  if  I  were  to 
let  them  entirely  alone  and  eat  only  the  carrots, 
beans,  peas  and  lentils,  fruits  and  nuts,  rich  in 
vegetable  oil,  it  would  be  quite  as  well. 

There  is  a  great  saving  in  living  the  way  I  do  in 


90  .         THE  ECONOMY   OF  FOOD. 

cost  of  food  and  the  labor  required  to  prepare  it.  I 
can  live  on  anywhere  from  two  to  twelve  cents  a 
day.  I  feel  just  as  well  and  strong  when  I  eat  what 
I  can  buy  for  two  or  three  cents  at  retail  as  when  I 
pay  ten  cents,  but  it  is  plainer  than  I  care  to  live 
I  have  tried  it  and  did  two  men's  hard  work,  eat- 
ing nothing  but  one  pound  of  corn  a  day.  I  felt 
just  as  well  and  could  see  no  difference  in  my 
strength  than  when  I  ate  a  greater  variety.  One 
pound  of  wheat  which  costs  less  than  two  cents, 
and  two  pounds  of  apples,  which  cost  still  less  (buy- 
ing by  the  barrel  or  bushel),  are  more  than  a  day's 
rations.  If  I  add  pears  and  grapes  it  doubles  or 
trebles  the  cost.  If  families  would  adopt  this  plain, 
simple  mode  of  living,  none  need  want  for  food,  and 
the  pleasure  of  eating  would  on  the  average  be  in- 
creased four-fold.  The  housewife  would  also  be  re- 
lieved of  full  four-fifths  of  her  labor  in  the  kitchen, 
and  doctors'  bills  would  soon  be  reduced  nineteen- 
twentieths,  if  not  entirely  dispensed  with,  intem- 
perance banished  from  the  land,  and  the  average 
length  of  life  doubled  in  two  generations  of  time. 
There  is  not  wealth  enough  in  the  State  to  hire  me 
to  eat  and  drink  as  do  the  average  of  mankind. 

I  will  now  describe  how  I  make  gems .  I  weigh  my 
flour  and  water,  then  I  know  just  what  I  have,  and 
there  is  no  guesswork  about  it.  I  use  one  pound  of 
the  best  unbolted  wheat  flour  to  one  pound  water ;  I 
use  a  cast  iron  gem  pan  with  eleven  cups,  which 
takes  one  pound  of  flour  to  fill.  I  heat  the  pan  as 
hot  as  a  quick  oven  will  heat  it ;  I  stir  the  flour  and 
water  thoroughly  and  fill  the  gem  pan  as  quickly  as 
I  can  and  bake  as  fast  as  it  will  bake  without  burn 
ing.    If  baked  quickly  they  will  be  light.     I  have 


ANOTHER  CASE.-  91 

made  gems  several  hundreds  of  times  in  succession 
without  having  one  heavy  or  soggy.  If  tl:  e  pan  is 
hot  when  filled  and  the  oven  hot,  it  forms  a  thin 
crust  quickly  which  holds  the  air  and  steam,  the 
expansion  of  which  will  make  the  gems  light  every 
time.  In  some  instances  I  have  had  the  gems  burst 
with  so  much  force  as  to  jump  out  of  the  pan.  A 
little  salt  can  be  used  if  preferred. 

I  liavG  stopped  at  my  office  long  enough  after  the 
regular  working  hours  to  write  what  I  have  written. 
My  day's  work  commences  usually  at  4.30  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  and  ends  at  5.30,  P.  M.,  after  which  I  drive 
two  miles  and  care  for  my  liorse,  and  often  do  my 
cooking.     I  retire  at  nine  o'clock. 

Yours  very  truly,  A.  H.  Frank. 

I  will  extend  this  chapter  to  give  one  more  case 
related  by  Meta  Wellmer  in  Almonds  and  Raisins, 
for  18S8.  This  writer  says:  *'Ten  years  ago,  in 
company  with  two  gentlemen  and  a  lady,  I  under- 
took a  pedestrian  tour  to  the  banks  of  the  lake  of 
Geneva.  In  T.,  near  Zurich,  we  visited  a  teacher, 
Mr.  B.  Arriving  just  at  noon,  when  the  family  were 
about  to  dine,  we  were  kindly  invited  to  join  their 
repast.  But  having  just  then  sworn  loyalty  to  the 
Pythagorean  mode  of  life,  we  used  only  bread  and 
fruit;  and  had  already  eaten  our  meal  at  eleven 
o'clock,  under  the  shade  of  the  green  trees,  in  sight 
of  the  beautiful  lake  and  the  snow-capped  heights. 
Round  the  table  sat  Mr.  B.  and  his  wife  and  six 
children ;  the  seventh,  nine  months  old,  was  creep- 
ing, baby  fashion,  energetically  on  the  floor.  The 
meal  consisted  of  cauliflower,  roasted  potatoes  with 
cucumber  salad,  bread,  fruit  and  nuts. 


92  THE  ECONOMY   OF  FOOD. 

^^  After  the  meal  was  ended,  Mr.  B.  accompanied 
us  a  short  distance  on  our  journey,  and  told  us  a 
little  of  his  life's  experience.    '  I  have  lived,'  he  said, 
^without  animal  food  for  more  than  eleven  years, 
and  in  spite  of  my  increasing  family,  I  have  saved 
enough  money  to  buy  the  house  in  which  I  live  and 
the  garden  surrounding  it.    Not  one  of  those  among 
my  colleagues,  who  have  had  no  inheritance,  and 
have  married  for  pure  love,  without  gaining  any 
dowry,  possesses  a  house.     My  neighbors  wonder  at 
my  success,  and  say  I  must  have  inherited  money 
or  won  it  in  the  lottery ;  but  the  fact  is,  that  my  sole 
gain  and  inheritance  consists  in  my  method  of  liv- 
ing ;  whereas,  with  other  people,  all  inheritance  and 
gain  is  lost  by  going  into  their  mouths  and  down 
their  throats.    Had  I  adopted  this  method  twenty- 
one  years  ago,   when  I  entered  my  profession,   I 
might  now  have  owned  a  villa,  like  the  neighbor- 
ing merchants,  and  been  able  to  let  it  to  a  tenant. 
But  my  savings  increase  year  by  year,  and  I  have 
one  advantage  over  some  of    my  rich   merchant 
friends,  viz.,  that  of  perfect  health,  which  they  do 
not  enjoy,  living,  as  they  do,  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  nature.      For  eleven  years  neither  doctor  nor 
apothecary  has  had  a  penny  of  mine.'^' 


CHAPTER  VII. 
SIMPLICITY   IN   LIVING. 

Closely  allied  to  economy  in  living  is  simplicity. 
In  this  respect  we  do  not  need  to  go  to  extremes. 
True  simplicity  favors  health,  and  in  addition  to 
it  limit  expense  and  saves  the  time  wasted  in  the 
preparation  of  numberless  complicated  dishes. 

For  children,  simplicity  is  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance whatever  system  of  dietetics  is  adopted. 
This  has  been  recognized  the  world  over,  even  by 
the  rich  and  by  the  learned.  There  can  be  no  greater 
error  in  rearing  a  child  than  indulging  its  appetite 
in  every  sort  of  costly  and  unnatural  viand.  That 
its  food  should  be  nutritious  and  abundant  no  one 
denies.  That  its  food  should  be  appetizing  and 
pleasing  to  its  palate  is  self-evident ;  but  true  luxu- 
ry may  go  hand  in  hand  with  simplicity.  It  is  the 
good  appetite  that  makes  food  taste  sweet  and  give 
enjoyment;  without  this  nothing  pleases.  The 
same  rule  of  simplicity  applies  to  invalids  as  well 
as  to  children.  They  are  often  fed  exclusively  on 
milk,  or  are  advised  to  eat  largely  of  fruit,  or 
brown  bread,  or  baked  potatoes  and  cream,  or 
baked  apples,  or  bread,  milk  and  fruit,  as  the  case 
may  be. 

(93) 


94  SIMPLICITY  IN  LIVING. 

But  if  simplicity  is  proper  for  the  child  and  for 
the  invalid,  why  is  it  not  also  for  the  strong  ?  It  is. 
What  examples  of  simplicity  were  those  of  Sidney 
Smith,  whose  society  often  attracted  the  wealthy  to 
share  his  single  dish ;  of  Isaac  Newton,  who  lived 
in  the  plainest  way  when  thinking  out  his  greatest 
works ;  of  Franklin  in  his  early  life ;  of  William 
Wordsworth;  of  Socrates,  who  taught  that  *'men 
should  abstain  from  meats  which  might  cause  a 
man  to  eat  who  had  no  need  for  food,  or  to  drink 
without  thirst."  His  wife,  like  many  before  and 
since,  expecting  guests,  had  made,  she  feared, 
inadequate  provision  for  them.  He  replied:  '"If 
they  be  honest  men  it  will  be  enough ;  if  not,  what 
need  we  care  for  them  ?"  These  are  cases  of  simple 
living  but  high  thinking.  **Read  the  lives  of  our 
great  men,"  says  Prof.  J.  B.  Mayor,  *' read  the  story 
of  their  greatness ;  read  of  Hannibal  and  St.  Paul, 
of  Luther  and  Newton,  of  Wesley  and  John  How- 
ard, and  you  will  find  temperance  (simplicity)  at 
the  root  of  all  their  virtues."  The  same  author, 
whose  own  life  is  one  of  most  beautiful  simplicity, 
continues : 

*'This,  then,  is  my  first  argument  for  plain  liv- 
ing :  it  is  a  mighty  bond  between  class  and  class. 
It  breaks  down  a  wall  of  partition  between  us  and. 
saints  of  old  ;  it  is  the  casting  off  a  weight  that  we 
may  start  fair  for  the  race  set  before  us.  In  two 
ways  we  can  make  people  better  off :  by  adding  to 
their  means  or  taking  from  their  wants.  The  poor 
cannot  ape  the  diet  of  the  rich  without  ruin;  the 
rich  may  take  to  the  diet  of  the  poor  with  infinite 
gain  to  mind,  body  and  estate.  Whence  come  dis- 
eases ?    '  From  the  kitchen,'  say  Plato  and  Senaca 


WHENCE  COME  DISEASES?  95 

and  Milton.  Multos  morhos  muUa  fercula  fecerunf, 
*  So  many  dishes,  so  many  diseases.'  *  Do  you  wish 
for  health/  asked  Abernethy.  *  Live  on  sixpence  a 
day  and  earn  it.'  Many  say  to  me,  'You  must  be 
strong  to  bear  what  you  do ;  living  on  2d.  a  day, 
indeed ;  for  shame  ! '  I  tell  them  :  '  Your  feasts, 
where  there  are  twenty  or  thirty  dishes,  with  a 
chaos  of  some  hundred  ingredients,  hot  and  cold, 
sweet  and  sour,  and  several  sorts  of  wine — this  has 
been  my  cross.  To  try  experiments  in  simplicity 
and  cheap  living  is  a  source  of  great  amusement  to 
me.'  Senaca  puts  it  neatly  :  *  It  isn't  the  living  on 
bread  and  water  that  is  the  happiness ;  but  the  be- 
ing able  to  be  happy  even  on  bread  and  water.' 

**  Supposing  nothing  was  spent  in  London  this 
next  month  on  fleshmeat,  tobacco,  opium,  strong 
drink,  tea,  coffee,  drugs,  spices  or  other  poisons, 
what  a  surplus  you  would  have !    You  could  have 
fruit  with  every  meal,   and  set  farmers  to  work 
planting  orchards ;  you  could  have  fresh  vegetables 
and  treble  the  number  of  gardeners ;  money  to  buy 
books  and  time  and  brains  clear  for  reading  them ; 
bakers  might  learn  to  provide  genuine  wholemeal 
bread,  and  every  one  might  have  bread  to  spare ; 
every  child,   and  for  that  matter  every  man  and 
woman  too,  could  have  a  cup  of  milk  with  every 
meal.     Then  the  whole  army  of  adulterators  who 
make  things  for  sale  and  not  for  use,  the  gentry 
\Yho  deal  in  oleomargerine  and  butterine  and  all 
else  that  ends  in  ine,  would  fall  on  their  knees, 
crying,  ^ Peccavimus,  do  teach  us  some  honest  trade; 
puffing  and  lies  have  lost  the  ear  o'  th'  world.'      Be- 
ing no  longer  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  whose 
end  is  perdition,  whose  god  is  their  belly,  who  mind 


96  SIMPLICITY  IN  LIVING. 

earthly  things,  we  should  know  that  our  citizenship 
is  in  heaven.  Yerily  old  Hesiod  is  right :  *  The  half 
is  more  than  the  whole,'  And  remember  another 
of  his  sayings:  ^Well  begun  is  half  done.'  Begin 
to-morrow  morning,  begin  wisely,  and  you  will 
never  repent.  Or  if  you  must  go  once  more  to  the 
school  of  experience,  that  mistress  of  fools,  make 
an  honest  experiment.  Next  time  you  are  asked  to 
a  great  dinner,  say :  ^  My  host  is  my  friend ;  he 
wishes  me  well ;  he  wouldn't  give  me  poison  if  he 
knew  it ;  I  am  safe  with  him.'  Eat  and  drink  what- 
ever is  offered  whenever  you  have  the  chance ;  and 
send  for  the  doctor  that  night  and  next  morning 
and  the  morning  after  that.  Mark  your  own  symp- 
toms and  the  doctor's  report.  Do  the  same  another 
time,  with  one  exception  :  fast  the  second  day.  You 
will  learn  two  lessons :  (1)  Enough  is  better  than 
a  feast,  for  feasting  is  folly;  (2)  Fasting  is  no 
cunning  trick  of  priestcraft,  but  the  most  power- 
ful and  safest  of  all  medicines.  Having  learnt 
yourself,  begin  to  teach.  When  thou  art  converted, 
strengthen  thy  brethren.  Issue  flaming  posters 
with  a  good  clap-trap  title.  Fragments  of  science 
for  the  unscientific  !  How  to  be  healthy,  wealthy 
and  wise !  How  to  sup  for  a  penny  and  rise  next 
morning  a  wiser  and  a  merrier  man ! " 

There  are  benefits  which  come  from  simplicity 
which  we  can  hardly  estimate.  The  first  is  to 
woman.  In  most  cases,  how  great  are  her  cares; 
from  early  dawn  to  late  at  night  she  struggles  and 
strives.  How  much  of  this  struggling  is  to  cook 
intricate  dishes  for  her  family  and  for  her  friends. 
''They  expect,"  she  says,  ''something  more  than 
a  simple  repast;  they  expect  elaborately  prepared 


BENEFITS  OF  SIMPLICITY  IN  FOOD.  97 

food  to  tickle  the  palate  and  delight  the  eye."  To 
some  extent  this  is  true,  but  it  is  not  so  true  as 
many  believe.  Most  persons  feel  themselves  more 
than  compensated  when  they  eat  vrith  their  friends 
if  the  food  be  simple  and  good,  provided  thought  is 
stimulated  and  the  spirits  are  enlivened  and  re- 
freshed. I  have  demonstrated  this  many  times  by 
giving  simple  but  well-prepared  and  appetizing 
breakfasts  without  show  or  parade,  and  had  my 
guests  universally  arise  from  the  table  with  en- 
thusiastic words  of  praise  over  the  delightful  time 
they  had  had.  I  have  known  many  others  to  do 
the  same  with  similar  results.  On  the  other  hand, 
how  often  have  we  all  been  pained  when  visiting 
friends,  that  so  much  of  the  time  of  the  head  of  the 
house  was  given  up  to  preparing  food,  which  might 
have  been  dispensed  with  to  the  advantage  of  all. 

The  other  benefits  are  the  invariably  good  appe- 
tite which  comes  from  simplicity,  the  good  diges- 
tion which  comes  from  a  well-treated  stomach,  the 
saving  of  time  which  can  be  devoted  to  higher  pur- 
suits, and  of  money  always  needed  for  so  many  uses. 

Perhaps  my  readers  will  say,  *^  Those  who  work 
must  eat."  To  this  I  heartily  agree,  and  I  will 
quote  a  line  from  Prof.  J.  E.  B.  Mayor,  M.  A., 
who  says:*' I  am  bound  to  testify,  having  known 
Cambridge  for  thirty-six  years,  that  the  ordinary 
life  of  the  men  by  whom  the  ivork  of  the  University 
is  done  is  simple  in  the  extreme."  So  it  has  always 
been  ;  so  it  will  always  be.  The  world's  workers  live 
on  wholesome,  nourishing,  but  simple  food.  Even 
Kaiser  William,  the  German  Emperor  who  died  at 
ninety-one,  would  not  eat  the  rich  viands  of  his 
chief  cook,  but  demanded  the  plainest  fare. 

(5) 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

FOOD    AND    im^EMPERANCE. 

There  are  a  multitude  of  remedies  for  intemper- 
ance in  drinking,  some  of  which  are  advocated  with 
a  zeal  which  knows  no  bounds.  In  my  opinion  pro- 
gress in  this  direction  must  be  largely  the  work  of 
education  and  the  diffusion  of  correct  knowledge 
of  the  true  value  of  life,  and  perfect  control  of  all 
our  faculties.  "When  human  beings  have  a  good 
understanding  of  the  great  happiness  which  may 
come  from  perfect  bodies  and  splendid  health,  and 
when  they  know  that  these  conditions  can  only  be 
secured  by  obedience  to  nature's  laws  of  the  body, 
then  they  will  prize  a  knowledge  of  these  laws  and 
in  some  measure,  at  least,  conform  their  conduct  to 
them. 

And,  now,  what  are  the  causes  of  intemperance, 
that  hideous  nightmare  that  darkens  the  lives  of 
so  many  of  the  children  of  the  earth,  that  blights 
so  many  homes  with  a  curse  more  terrible  than  an 
Egyptian  plague.  It  is  not  possible  here  to  go  into 
this  subject  in  all  its  fulness ;  but  a  principal  cause, 
intimately  connected  with  our  daily  food,  may  be 
mentioned  briefly.  The  craving  for  stimulants^ 
aside  from  the  force  of  habit,  hereditary  and  ac- 
quired, is,  in  a  majority  of  cases,  evidence  of  im- 

(98) 


THE  CRAVING  FOR  STIMULANTS.  99 

paired  vitality  and  deficient  nerve  force,  the  result 
of  defective  nutrition,  either  from  insufficient  or 
badly  prepared  food,  or  from  a  breaking  down  of 
the  digestive  functions  by  indulgence  in  excess- 
ive and  over-stimulating  articles  of  diet.  In  either 
case  the  results  are  mal-nutrition  and  deficient 
nervous  energy.  If  I  am  right  in  this  statement, 
then  the  greatest  foe  to  intemperance  is  the  sani- 
tarian, and  especially  the  sanitary  cook  who  knows 
how  to  feed  people  perfectly,  so  as  to  nourish  them 
completely. 

When  a  man  is  thoroughly  well  he  is  always  hap- 
py. It  matters  little  whether  he  be  rich  or  poor, 
learned  or  unlearned,  his  spirits  overflow,  and  he 
has  buoyancy  and  joyousness  to  spare.  He  has 
such  a  fulness  of  life  that  existence  becomes  a  de- 
light, and  he  thanks  Heaven  for  it.  What  does 
such  a  person  want  of  stimulants  ?  They  actually 
depress  him.  On  the  other  hand,  those  deficient  of 
vitality,  or  those  whose  nervous  systems  are  so 
starved  that  they  do  not  give  out  sweet  music  with 
every  breath;  those  who  are  poor  spirited;  those 
whose  hands  and  feet  are  cold,  or  who  are  depressed 
and  downcast  and  feel  that  they  are  forsaken ;  those 
who  have  overworked  or  eaten  too  much,  or  gone 
without  food  and  sleep,  are  the  ones  who  are  most 
likely  to  have  cravings  for  drink.  Who  has  not 
known  even  temperate  people  when  in  this  con- 
dition to  take  a  little  wine  or  beer  to  lift  themselves 
up  for  a  moment  to  the  level  of  the  healthy  man  ? 

Men  and  women  take  to  stimulants  not  only  to 
overcome  exhaustion,  but  to  drive  away  sorrow  and 
care,  even  to  drive  away  dullness  and  stupidity; 
but    would    men  and  women  be  dull,    exhausted 


100  FOOD  AND  INTEMPERANCE. 

and  stupid  if  they  were  full  of  animal  vigor  and 
overflowing  with  strength  ? 

So  I  repeat  what  I  said  before  :  That  the  greatest 
foe  to  intemperance  is  the  sanitarian,  the  health 
reformer,  and  especially  the  sanitary  cook,  who 
lead  people  into  healthful  habits  of  eating  and 
drinking,  of  working  and  sleeping,  of  recreation 
and  study. 

Every  nutritious  and  healthful  meal,  neatly 
spread  and  partaken  with  thankfulness,  is  a  tem- 
perance lesson.  Every  well-built  house,  with  conve- 
niences for  doing  work  easily  and  without  waste  of 
force,  with  well-arranged  kitchen,  bathrooms,  sunny 
windows  and  good  ventilation,  is  a  temperance  ser- 
mon. Every  vegetable  garden,  rich  with  nutritious 
food,  and  every  fruit  farm  abounding  in  luscious 
apples,  grapes,  peaches  and  pears  is  a  foe  to  intem- 
perance. Every  school  where  there  is  no  over- 
crowding, where  the  brain  is  properly  taken  care 
of,  so  that  it  shall  not  be  deranged,  promotes  tem- 
perance. On  the  other  hand,  everything  that  tends 
to  lower  human  vitality :  overwork,  over-study, 
too  little  sleep,  too  little  work,  and  especially  bad 
food — all  prolong  the  time  when  intemperance  will 
produce  its  evil  effects.  Every  bad  cook  who  pre- 
pares unsavory,  indigestible  meals  creates  a  demand 
for  stimulants. 

Dr.  Brunton,  in  a  work  of  great  originality  and 
extensive  research,  on  *^The  Physiology  of  Diges- 
tion," says  what  will  be  applauded  by  all :  "  Good 
cooking  is  one  of  the  most  effective  means  of  stifling 
the  craving  for  drink,  which  is  the  root  of  so  much 
evil.  Drink  craving,  in  truth,  depends  as  often  as 
not  on  causes  of  a  purely  physical  nature.    Bad 


c 


A  STIMULUS  TO  TEMPERANCE,  101 

cooking  is  one  of  the  causes  of  unequal  thirst,  and 
the  *  demand'  thus  created  leads  very  naturally  to 
a  *  supply '  in  the  shape  of  alcoholics.  The  mental 
phase  of  contentment  which  supervenes  on  the 
digestion  of  food  which  has  been  savory  and  well 
cooked  is  a  powerful  stimulus  to  temperance ;  just 
as  the  opposite  condition  of  badly-cooked  meals 
suggests  a  remedy  in  the  shape  of  liquor,  which  is 
often  consumed  under  such  circumstances  greo/ly 
in  excess  of  any  needs  the  body  may,  physiologic- 
ally, exhibit  for  alcohol.  This  is  well  seen  in  Swit- 
zerland, where,  when  the  food  is  by  no  means  of 
a  savory  kind,  a  glass  of  *  schnapps '  is  resorted  to 
for  the  purpose  of  *  tempering'  the  meal,  and  of  ren- 
dering it  more  appetizing.  There  is  probably  a 
mental  effect  produced  by  a  pleasant,  well-cooked 
meal,  which  affects  the  brain  and  nervous  system 
in  an  appreciable  manner,  but  one  at  the  same  time 
difficult  to  explain.  Be  this  as  it  may,  there  seems 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  good  cookery  and  temper- 
ance are  sworn  allies ;  carelessness  in  preparing 
food,  and,  it  may  be  added,  in  feeding  at  large, 
is  the  equally  stanch  ally  of  intemperance  and 
excess." 


CHAPTER    IX. 

/itJ^IMENTARY   PRODUCTS    OF    THE    VEGETABLE 

KINGDOM. 

I  will  in  this  chapter  consider  some  of  the  im- 
portant alimentary  products  of  the  vegetable  king- 
dom, 

WHEAT. 

The  most  extensively  used  and  most  important 
is  wheat.  There  are  many  varieties,  differing 
somewhat  in  chemical  composition,  their  general 
characteristics  being  the  same.  The  outer  portion 
of  the  berry  is  composed  of  an  exceedingly  dense, 
hard  layer,  very  coherent,  and  of  a  woody  nature. 
It  protects  the  valuable  nutritious,  starchy  and 
nitrogenous  material  within.  It  is  indigestible. 
Below  this  is  a  layer  of  albuminous  or  nitrogenous 
material,  containing  a  trace  of  fat  and  considerable 
mineral  matter.  This  layer  has  very  high  aliment- 
ary value;  and  by  the  older  processes  of  milling 
was  partly  separated  with  the  bran ;  by  the  modern 
and  improved  method  it  is  mostly  saved,  A  portion 
of  the  nitrogenous  matter  of  this  coat  is  known  as 
cerealine,  and  has  some  value  as  a  digestive  fer- 

(102) 


COMPOSITION  OF  WHEAT.  103 

ment,  helping  to  change  starch  into  dextrine.  The 
central  portion  of  the  berry  is  composed  mainly, 
but  not  altogether,  of  starch. 

Wheat  is  rarely  used  in  its  entire  state  as  an  arti- 
cle of  food.  There  is,  however,  a  growing  tendency 
to  the  use  of  whole  wheat,  or  at  least  to  the  use  of 
all  except  the  thinnest  outer  cuticle.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  this  would  be  a  great  advantage  to  most 
persons,  both  from  the  standpoint  of  health  and 
nutrition. 

The  *'  whole  meaP'  from  which  nothing  has  been 
separated  contains  (as  given  by  Blythe)  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Water 14.0 

Nitrogenous  substances,  part  of  which  is  \ 

gluten,  a  portion  of  which  cannot  serve  >•  21.8 

for  nutrition ) 

Carbohydrates  :  Fat,  1.2  ;  Starch,  59.7       .  60.9 

Woody  Fiber,  Cellulose     ....  1.7 

Mineral  matter 1.6 


100.00 


The  white  flour  from,  which  the  bran  has  been 
separated  has,  according  to  this  authority,  the  fol- 
lowing composition  : 

Water        .        .        , 16.5 

Gluten  and  other  nitrogenous  bodies       .  8.59 

Nitrogenous  substances  not  albuminous     .  3.41 

Carbohdyrates :  Fat,  1.2;  Starch,  09.6    .  70.8 

Mineral  matter         ......  .7 


100.00 


By  glancing  at  the  analyses  it  will  be  seen  that 
wheat  has  one  important  defect.    It  is  almost  en- 


104         ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

tirely  deficient  in  fat ;  but  it  contains  a  very  large 
amount  of  carbohydrates  and  of  albuminous  matter. 
We  add  butter  to  bread  to  supply  this  fat. 

A  BEAUTIFUL  MICROSCOPIC  OBJECT. 

A  beautiful  object  for  the  microscope  is  a  very 
thin  section  of  this  grain.  Almost  any  person  may 
prepare  one  by  soaking  a  kernel  in  warm  water 
until  it  becomes  soft,  and  cutting  it  with  a  very 
sharp  razor.  The  cuticle  or  bran,  in  two  or  three 
not  very  well  defined  layers,  is  outermost.  Just 
under  it  is  a  layer  of  gluten  cells,  nearly  square. 
The  gluten  granules  are  thickly  packed  within. 
They  are  darker  colored  than  the  starch  cells, 
which  lie  immediately  beneath  and  extend  to  the 
center.  The  latter  are  filled  with  shining  starch 
granules  of  many  sizes.  Altogether  it  makes  a 
very  beautiful  and  interesting  picture. 

Wheat  is  prepared  in  an  almost  endless  variety 
of  ways  for  food ;  but  in  this  place  I  will  mention 
only  one  which  is  less  known  than  others.  In  my 
boyhood  days  I  was  rather  fond  of  experimenting 
on  food  products — a  trait  I  have  not  entirely  lost, 
else  I  never  should  have  prepared  this  work.  I 
said  to  my  good  mother,  who  always  indulged  me 
in  my  experiments,  *^Why  can't  wheat  be  boiled 
like  rice  and  served  with  sugar  and  cream  ? '' 
She  said,  ''Try  it."  So  I  took  some  nice  white 
wheat,  boiled  it  till  thoroughly  cooked,  and  served 
it  up  with  cream  and  sugar,  much  to  my  own  de- 
light and  that  of  others.  This  is  a  very  simple, 
cheap,  nutritious  and  easily  digested  dish,  the  only 
danger  being  in  eating  it  unmasticated.  It  requires 
for  each  mouthful  the  thirty-two  Gladstonian  bites. 


COMPOSITION  OP  OATS.  105 

OATS. 

The  oat,  less  used  than  wheat  as  a  food  for  man, 
is  in  some  respects  its  superior,  for  it  contains  con- 
siderable oil.  Under  the  microscope  its  structure 
is  seen  to  be  similar.  Prof.  Blythe  says :  **The  oat 
possesses  all  the  constituents  necessary  for  the 
maintenance  of  high  bodily  vigor,  and  is  one  of 
those  complex  foods  that,  especially  with  the  ad- 
dition of  a  little  fat,  is  capable  of  supporting  life 
for  an  indefinite  period.  In  the  border  forays  of 
the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries  the  provisions 
carried  by  the  Scotch  was  simply  a  bag  of  oatmeal.'' 

For  centuries  it  has  been  a  prominent  article  of 
food  among  the  Scotch ;  and  it  is  unfortunate  that 
as  its  use  is  being  largely  extended  in  other  civil- 
ized countries  it  is  less  used  there,  especially  in  the 
towns.  The  reason  given  for  this  is  the  desire  of 
the  young  people  to  live  as  other  people  do,  upon 
hot  biscuit  and  fine  bread.  The  injurious  effects  of 
this  change  can  already  be  seen. 

The  average  composition  of  oats  is  given  in  the 
following  table : 

Water 12.93 

Nitrogenous  matters  analogous  to  gluten  9.78 

Nitrogenous  matters  which  do  not  serve  )  ^^^ 

for  purposes  of  nutrition         .        .        ) 

Fat 6.04 

Carbohydrates  :  Sugar,  2.22  ;  Dextrine  and  )  g^  aq 

Gum,  2.04 ;  Starch,  51.17 .        .        .         )  ' 

Woody  Fiber 10.83 

Mineral  matter 3.05 


100.00 
5* 


106  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS   OF  VEGETABLES. 

THE   MOST  STRENGTHENING  FOOD. 

A  German  author,  Dr.  Winckler,  writes  as  fol- 
lows concerning  oats  as  a  food  for  man  : 

*'0f  a  very  powerful  man  we  often  and  truly  say  : 
'He  has  the  strength  of  a  horse/  *He  has  a 
horse's  nature/  or  'He  can  maintain  himself 
against  the  strength  of  a  horse.'  The  working 
power  of  a  horse  is  so  considerable  that  we  measure 
the  power  of  machinery  by  'horse  power.'  Watt 
and  Boulton  measured  the  power  of  horses  in  the 
London  breweries  and  found  them  capable  of  per- 
forming 33,000  foot  pounds  per  minute.  Whence 
does  the  horse  derive  his  wonderful  strength  ?  From 
oats.  But  the  oat  does  not  grow  for  the  horse  alone. 
Man  can  employ  it  for  nourishment,  and  is  able  to 
prepare  from  it  many  delicious  foods  and  drinks 
which  render  his  body  large  and  his  strength  en- 
during. 

"The  old  Germans,  whose  soldier-like  forms  and 
great  bodily  strength  excited  the  astonishment  of 
the  Romans,  lived  chiefly  upon  oatmeal  porridge, 
according  to  the  positive  evidence  of  Pliny.  The 
oat  was,  therefore,  the  food  of  our  forefathers,  who 
evidently  at  some  time  brought  it  from  their  Asiatic 
homes.  The  Romans  learned  of  the  oat  from  the 
Germans  and  the  Celts.  The  German  races  long 
maintained  this  as  their  original  national  food.  In 
the  eighteenth  century  we  still  find  that  the  youth 
in  many  parts  of  Germany  were  brought  up  prin- 
cipally on  oatmeal  porridge.  Now,  unfortunately 
the  potato  is  the  daily  food  of  the  poor  people,  and 
only  in  Scotland  is  oatmeal  the  national  dish.  We 
all  know  that  the  Scottish  Highlanders  are  the  most 


THE  0A7  A  FOOD  OF  THE  FIRST  RANK.  107 

muscular  men  in  all  Europe,  and  the  Scottish  regi- 
ments form  the  flower  of  the  British  army. 

''That  the  oat  is  a  food  of  the  first  rank  one  may 
know  from  its  chemical  composition.  Its  constitu- 
ents are  mixed  in  such  proportions  as  to  form  an 
almost  ideal  diet  for  the  human  body,  as  a  compari- 
son of  them  with  mother's  milk,  the  original  type 
of  food,  clearly  shows. 

''The  milk  of  a  healthy  woman  contains  in  1,000 
grains,  110.  IG  grains  of  solid  constituents,  and  in 
these  110.16  grains  we  find  14  grains  of  nitrogenous 
material,  while  in  100  grains  of  oatmeal  there  are 
14.30  grains  of  the  same.  This  remarkable  agree- 
ment is  confirmed  by  practice,  for  we  can  feed  a 
suckling  child  with  oatmeal  gruel;  and  the  best 
kinds  of  children's  prepared  foods  made  to  replace 
the  mother's  milk  consist  mainly  of  oatmeal. 

"The  constituents  of  the  oat  in  starch  amounts  to 
about  50  per  cent.  Its  fatty  matter  is  very  consid- 
erable. Oats  and  corn  surpass  all  other  cereals 
in  this  respect.  Wheat  contains  only  1.8  per  cent.  ; 
rye,  2.25  per  cent.;  barley,  2.7G  per  cent.;  while 
the  oat  contains  6.4  per  cent,  of  fat.  For  this  rea- 
son the  oat  is  especially  useful  in  cold  climates, 
where  a  greater  amount  of  fatty  food  is  necessary. 
Very  important  also  are  the  salts  of  the  oat,  con- 
sisting as  they  do  of  mineral  substances,  important 
for  the  blood  and  required  by  the  tissues.  In  this 
regard  the  oat  exceeds  other  grains. 

"In  wheat  there  is  from  1.4  to  1.9  per  cent,  of  min- 
eral matter;  rye  contains  2  per  cent.;  barley,  3.1, 
and  the  oat  3.25  per  cent.  In  100  parts  of  the  ash 
of  the  oat,  according  to  Bibra,  we  find  19.24  of  pot- 
ash;  2.24  of  soda;   3.  of  lime;   6.03  of  magnesia; 


108  ALIMENTARY  PEODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

25.14  of  phosphoric  acid;  3.07  of  sulphuric  acid;  .39 
of  silica  acid;  1.66  of  chloride  of  sodium,  and  .42  of 
oxide  of  iron.  The  oat  has  also  a  very  fine  aroma, 
which  stimulates  digestion.  Owners  of  horses  well 
know  how  favorably  it  affects  the  appetite  of  those 
animals.  Every  food  possesses  an  aroma  to  a  cer- 
tain degree ;  but  that  from  the  oat  much  surpasses 
the  aroma  of  other  grains. 

*^  Foods  prepared  from  the  oat  prove  to  be  a  most 
certain  means  of  strengthening  the  body  when 
all  other  so-called  strengthening  foods  leave  us  in 
the  lurch.  I  know  of  no  means  of  resurrecting  a 
broken  constitution  so  good  as  using  oatmeal  gruel 
freely ;  and  I  know  that  weak  persons  in  their  ad- 
vance toward  health  and  strength  will  thank  me 
for  this  advice." 

Lean  and  debilitated  persons  can  often,  and  in 
the  shortest  time,  '^feed  up."  Pale-faced  young 
women,  and  women  debilitated  from  confinement, 
whom  we  constantly  see  growing  worse  under  a 
diet  of  beef  steak  and  beef  tea,  and  wine  and  iron 
preparations,  often  become  blooming  as  soon  as  they 
are  properly  nourished  upon  oatmeal  broth  and  oat- 
meal soup,  to  which  should  be  added  an  out-door  life. 
It  is  also  excellent  for  badly-developed  children, 
more  especially  during  those  years  devoted  to  school 
life — a  period  which  makes  extraordinary  demands 
on  the  childish  organization.  In  short,  the  oat,  in 
its  varied  forms,  is  an  invaluable  source  of  strength 
for  both  the  sound  and  the  unsound.  It  requires 
the  same  thorough  mastication  as  was  mentioned 
for  wheat,  otherwise  it  will  not  be  perfectly  di- 
gested.    Some  people  think  that  they  cannot  eat 


THE  COOKING  OF  OATMEAL.  109 

oatmeal.  Let  them  masticate  it  thoroughly,  and 
they  will  very  rarely  find  any  difficulty  from  this 
cause. 

THE  COOKING  OF  OATMEAL. 

Scotch  or  Irish  meal  is  best,  because  so  perfectly 
clean  and  white ;  but  these  take  a  longer  time  to 
cook  than  the  American  steam-cooked  preparations, 
and  are  not  to  be  had  everywhere.  If  the  former 
are  .used,  from  an  hour  and  a  half  will  be  required 
to  cook  them  perfectly,  and  perfect  cooking  is  of 
the  utmost  importance.  A  pot  lined  with  agate  or 
granite  should  be  used,  of  a  size  large  enough  to 
allow  the  meal  to  swell,  which  it  does  consider- 
ably. When  the  water  boils  up  briskly  stir  the 
meal  in  slowly,  using  a  wooden  spoon.  Do  not  let 
it  boil  over,  as  it  is  the  best  and  creamiest  part  that 
foams  at  the  top.  About  half  a  pound  of  meal  is 
sufficient  for  four  pints  of  water.  Keep  stirring  it 
gently  until  the  porridge  has  become  moderately 
thick,  when  it  may  be  set  over  a  slower  fire  and 
cooked  till  it  is  done,  remembering  to  stir  it  occa- 
sionally. It  is  best  to  leave  the  spoon  in  the  pot, 
as  this  helps  to  prevent  burning  and  spoiling  the 
porridge.  The  degree  of  thickness  will  depend  on 
circumstances.  For  hard-working  men,  and  those 
with  strong  digestions  it  may  be  quite  thick ;  but 
for  children  and  invalids  less  so. 

If  steam-cooked  cereals  are  used,  it  certainly  is  a 
great  saving  of  time,  though  the  flavor  is  not  so 
fine  nor  the  strength  so  great;  the  process  is  the 
same,  only  a  little  less  water  is  required,  and  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes  are  sufficient  for  prepar- 
ing them.    When  poured  from  the  pot  it  should 


110  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

have  a  creamy  appearance.  It  will  thicken  a  little 
after  it  is  taken  out.  The  amount  of  salt  required 
will  depend  on  the  taste.  I  prefer  a  small  amount ; 
and  if  not  enough  is  put  in  more  may  be  added 
afterward.  - 

'*A  glassful  of  good  new  milk,"  says  Carodoc 
Granhim,  *^ should  accompany  porridge;  but  the 
milk  should  not  be  poured  on  the  warm  porridge. 
The  cold  milk  soddens  the  porridge,  and  the  hot  por- 
ridge impairs  the  flavor  of  the  milk  by  making  it 
neither  hot  nor  cold.  But  a  spoonful  of  hot  por- 
ridge, dipped  into  the  fresh  cold  milk,  acquires  a 
piquancy  which  the  palate  discriminates  and  rel- 
ishes ;  for  one  can  become  an  epicure  in  porridge." 

If  any  be  left  over  it  may  be  re-cooked  with 
next  morning's  portion,  breaking  it  into  the  hot 
water  before  stirring  in  the  dry  meal.  This  sec- 
ond cooking  rather  improves  it  than  otherwise. 
Cold  water  should  never  be  used  for  preparing 
oatmeal  porridge  if  it  is  desired  to  bring  out  its 
best  qualities.  Some  add  a  little  brown  sugar 
and  butter  to  the  oatmeal  while  cooking;  but 
while  this  may  increase  its  nourishing  qualities  I 
could  never  see  that  it  improved  the  flavor. 

Oatmeal  porridge  is  rather  more  difficult  of  diges- 
tion than  wheat  meal,  and  this  has  caused  some 
physicians  and  others  to  exclaim  against  it.  "Where 
this  is  the  case  it  is  pretty  good  evidence  that  the 
digestive  organs  have  lost  their  full  power.  The 
true  remedy  would  be  to  restore  their  tone,  and  also 
at  the  same  time  to  pay  the  strictest  attention  to 
mastication,  so  as  to  bring  a  large  amount  of  saliva 
into  it  to  act  on  its  starch. 

Men  may  do  heavy  work  on  this  food,  and  they 


GREAT  FEAT  IN  RAILWAY  CONSTRUCTION.        Ill 

may  go  to  their  labor  immediately  after  eating 
without  injury,  which  is  not  the  case  with  many 
foods.  This  was  illustrated  in  the  remarkable  feat 
performed  by  the  Great  Western  Railway  Company 
in  the  summer  of  1872.  The  rails  of  500  miles  of 
the  road  were  changed  from  the  broad  to  the  nar- 
row gauge  in  two  week's  time.  They  were  held 
down  by  nuts  and  bolts,  and  these  had  to  be  un- 
screwed and  replaced  after  moving  the  heavy  rails 
two  feet.  About  3,000  men  were  employed,  and 
they  worked  from  four  in  the  morning  till  nine  at 
night.  To  generate  sufficient  force,  in  addition  to 
the  bread,  cheese,  cocoa  and  bacon  a  pound  and 
a  half  of  oatmeal  was  served  to  each  man  daily. 
It  was  sprinkled  with  sugar,  well  cooked  into  a 
thin  gruel  in  pots  on  stones  close  to  their  work,  and 
taken  as  food  and  drink  combined  whenever  they 
were  thirsty.  The  men  liked  it  exceedingly;  no 
beer  or  alcohol  was  allowed.  The  work  was  fin- 
ished within  the  prescribed  time,  and  not  one  man 
became  sick  or  drunk. 

OATMEAL    GRUEL  AND  MILK. 

Oatmeal  gruel  made  from  fine  oat  flour  is  a  very 
strengthening  food,  often  tolerated  by  the  weakest 
stomach  which  will  bear  nothing  else.  Oatmeal 
milk  is  a  healthful  and  nourishing  drink  made  as 
follows  :  Put  into  a  goblet  or  bowl  a  tablespoonf ul 
of  oatmeal  and  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar.  Fill  the 
bowl  with  boiling  water,  and  stir  it  thoroughly  till 
all  the  meal  is  dissolved  that  will.  Then  pour  off 
the  fluid  part  and  drink  hot  or  cold  as  is  preferred. 
Oatmeal  has  certain  stimulating  qualities  which  are 


112  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS   OF  VEGETABLES. 

very  remarkable.    These  are  extracted  and  used  as 
medicines  by  physicians. 

BARLEY. 

Barley  is  not  much  used  for  food,  though  pearl 
barley  forms  a  constituent  of  many  soups  and 
broths,  and  barley  flour  makes  a  very  digestible 
gruel  for  invalids.  It  is  greatly  improved  in  its 
taste  for  gruel  by  adding  twenty-five  per  cent,  of 
fresh  finely-ground  oatmeal  flour. 

Its  composition  is  as  follows  : 

Water 15.06 

Digestible  nitrogenous  substances .        .  9.79 

Indigestible        "                    "...  1.96 

Fat 1.71 

Carbohydrates 70.90 

Woody  Fiber      ......  .11 

Mineral  matter .47 


100.00 
RYE. 

Rye  forms  an  important  article  of  food  in  many 
European  countries,  and  in  early  times  was  much 
used  in  New  England,  but  its  place  has  been  largely 
taken  by  other  grains.  It  is  less  nutritious  and  less 
palatable  than  wheat,  has  a  darker  color,  and  a 
slightly  acid  taste.  On  account  of  its  somewhat 
laxative  action  it  has  considerable  value  in  counter- 
acting obstinate  constipation.  The  following  is  the 
best  method  of  preparing  it  for  this  purpose :  Clean 
your  rye  in  fresh  water,  dry  it,  grind  it  coarsely  in 
a  coffee  mill;  wet  up  into  a  moderately  stiff  dough 
and  roll  out  into  a  thin  sheet,  cut  up  into  thin 
cakes  and  bake  hard  in  a  hot  oven.     One  or  two  of 


INDIAN  CORN.  113 

these  cakes  broken  into  a  teacup  of  boiling  water 
and  taken  before  breakfast  is  an  almost  infallible 
remedy  for  constipation.  These  dry  cakes  will  keep 
a  long  time  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

It  is  subject  to  a  disease  known  as  '*  spurred  rye," 
the  kernel  of  which  is  of  a  dark  brown  color,  de- 
veloped enormously  beyond  the  husk.  This  spurred 
rye  is  a  dangerous  poison,  sometimes  causing  death. 

Its  composition,  as  given  by  leading  authorities, 
is  as  follows : 

Nitrogenous  matter 8.0 

Carbohydrates 73.2 

Fatty  matter 2.0 

Saline  matter 1.8 

Water 15.0 

100.00 

Composition  of  dried  rye : 

Nitrogenous  matter 12.50 

Starch 64.65 

Dextrine,  etc. 14.90 

Fatty  matter 2.25 

Cellulose .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  3.10 

Mineral  matter 2.60 


100.00 


iJWiAiT  corns'. 

Indian  corn  is  indigenous  to  America,  and  con- 
stituted an  important  article  of  food  for  the  Indians 
before  Columbus  found  his  way  here.  It  is  also 
cultivated  in  Southern  Europe  and  Africa.  Like 
wheat  it  has  an  external  woody  layer  for  protec- 
tion, below  which  is  a  layer  of  gluten  cells,  and 


114  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

under  these  the  starch  cells,  which  are  of  peculiar 
shape,  being  smaller  than  the  starch  cells  of  wheat 
and  many-sided.  Corn  is  quite  extensively  used 
as  food  in  Mexico,  in  the  Southern  United  States 
and  to  a  considerable  extent  in  the  Northern  States. 
It  is  very  largely  exported  to  Europe,  and  is,  for- 
tunately, partially  taking  the  place  of  the  potato 
in  Ireland. 

Its  greatest  use,  however,  is  for  feeding  cattle 
and  horses,  and  for  fattening  pigs.  Under  the  most 
favorable  conditions  it  takes  three  pounds  six 
ounces  of  shelled  corn  to  make  a  pound  of  pork.  To 
accomplish  this  the  hog  must  be  kept  quiet,  clean, 
warm  and  comfortable.  Corn  fed  in  the  ear  makes 
on  an  average  nine  pounds  of  pork  to  one  bushel  of 
ears.  If  the  ears  are  ground,  cob  and  all,  and  fed 
uncooked,  a  bushel  will  make  twelve  pounds  of 
pork.  If  the  corn  be  ground  and  cooked,  a  bushel 
will  make  fifteen  pounds  of  pork. 

By  comparing  the  chemical  constituents  of  one 
pound  of  pork  with  three  pounds  six  ounces  of 
shelled  corn,  it  will  hardly  need  the  aid  of  a  chem- 
ist to  show  that  corn,  as  a  food  for  man,  besides 
being  cheaper,  contains  much  more  nourishment 
and  consequently  there  is  great  waste  in  feeding 
it  to  pigs  to  change  it  into  food. 

Corn  is  rich  in  oil  and  in  starch,  but  less  rich 
in  nitrogenous  matter  than  wheat  or  oats.  There 
are  very  many  varieties,  all  differing  in  chemical 
composition,  and  especially  in  the  amount  of  oil, 
which  sometimes  falls  as  low  as  three  per  cent., 
and  sometimes  rises  as  high  as  nine  per  cent.  The 
oil  of  corn  differs  from  animal  oil  in  containing 
fatty  acids. 


RICE.  115 

Its  average  composition   is  given  by  Blythe  in 
the  following  table : 

Water 17.10 

Nutritive  nitrogenous  matter          .        .  10.91 

Non -nutritive  nitrogenous  matter      .        .  1.89 

Oil  or  Fat 7.00 

Carbohydrates  :  Dextrine  and  Sugar,  1.5  ;  i 

Starch,  59.0 \  *^"-^" 

Mineral  matter 1.10 

Cellulose 1.50 


100.00 
RICE. 

Rice  forms  a  chief  article  of  food  for  about  one- 
third  of  the  human  race,  especially  for  those  living 
in  warm  climates,  for  whom  it  is  well  adapted.  It 
is  extensively  grown  in  some  of  the  Southern  States, 
and  that  produced  in  South  Carolina  is  equal,  if  not 
superior,  to  any  in  the  world.  Its  chief  constitu- 
ent is  starch ;  it  contains  almost  no  fat  and  but  a 
comparatively  small  amount  of  nitrogenous  sub- 
stance. 

The  starch  of  rice  is  very  superior  in  quality,  and 
very  easily  digested,  owing,  perhaps,  to  the  fact 
that  the  amount  of  woody  matter  around  the  cells 
is  very  small.  Its  deficiency  in  nitrogenous  matter 
and  oil  renders  it  defective  as  a  chief  article  of  diet. 
It  is  possible  that  the  small  stature  of  many  Hin- 
doos, who  live  largely  upon  rice,  is  owing  partly  to 
its  lack  in  tissue-building  material.  It  is  well  suited 
to  invalids  needing  hydrocarbons  and  to  the  old, 
who  require  easily-digested  foods,  also  as  an  adjunct 
to  other  foods  it  has  value.  Its  whiteness  when 
properly  boiled  makes  it  very  beautiful. 


116         ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

The  following  is  its  composition  (Blythe) : 

Water 14.41 

Nitrogenous  substances    ....  6.94 

Fat  . 51 

Starch 77.61 

Woody  Fiber 08 

Ash .45 

100.00 
BEST  METHOD  OF    PREPARING  RICE. 

Rice  may  be  prepared  in  many  ways,  but  I  regard 
the  following  as  the  best : 

1. — Boil  it  carefully,  so  not  to  break  up  the  ker- 
nels, and  eat  with  cream  and  sugar  or  milk,  or  with 
fruits  in  their  season.  In  this  form  it  is  quickly 
digested. 

2. — The  most  satisfactory  pudding  from  it  is 
made  as  follows :  Take  two  teacups  of  rice,  five 
quarts  of  milk  and  one  cup  of  sugar ;  stir  them  to- 
gether in  a  pan  and  bake  slowly  for  two  or  three 
hours.  This  will  furnish  sufficient  for  dessert  for 
twenty  persons,  and  is  equally  good,  if  not  better, 
when  it  is  cold. 

BUCKWHEAT, 

Buckwheat  is  highly  nutritious  and  wholesome 
when  properly  prepared.  Its  composition  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

Nitrogenous  matter 13.10 

Starch,  etc 64.90 

Fatty  matter 3.00 

Cellulose 3.50 

Mineral  matter    _ 3.50 

Water 13.00 

100.00 


THE  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  BEAN.  117 

PEAS,   BEANS  AND  LENTILS. 

The  bean  is  a  very  important  food,  and  it  is  des- 
tined to  become  much  more  extensively  used  than 
even  now.  There  are  many  varieties,  as  there  are 
of  wheat  and  corn,  with  slight  difference  in  their 
chemical  constituents. 

The  special  characteristic  of  the  bean,  as  com- 
pared with  cereals,  is  a  less  amount  of  starch  and 
a  larger  amount  of  nitrogenous  matter.  This  ren- 
ders it  an  excellent  substitute  for  flesh  meat.  All 
experience  goes  to  show  that  it  is  a  more  satisfying 
vegetable  product  for  hard-working  men  than  al- 
most any  other.  In  Catholic  countries,  especially 
France,  where  flesh  food  is  less  used,  and  where 
during  Lent  and  on  Fridays  it  is  proscribed,  legu- 
minous products  are  more  extensively  used  than 
elsewhere.  They  are  much  used  by  the  vegetarians 
of  India  and  China,  and  in  some  of  the  provinces, 
especially  in  those  parts  where  the  people  have  the 
strongest  and  best  developed  bodies. 

In  Japan  the  bean  is  made  into  a  curd,  a  most 
nutritious  article  of  diet,  and  the  nearest  approach 
in  its  chemical  constituents  to  animal  food  of  any 
of  the  vegetable  foods.  A  very  full  account  of  the 
mode  of  preparing  and  using  it  was  published  by 
the  United  States  Government  in  the  consular  re- 
ports for  1886.  This  curd  is  used  in  soup,  croquetts 
and  a  hundred  other  ways,  and  is  said  to  be  well 
liked.  It  might  to  our  advantage  be  introduced 
into  our  country,  and  so  might  the  soy  bean  gen- 
erally used  in  Japan  and  China,  which  is  richer  in 
fat  than  our  own  beans  are.  Its  composition  is 
given  by  Prof.  Koch  in  his  paper  on  **  The  Agricul- 
tural Chemistry  of  Japan,"  as  follows : 


118  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

Water 11.33 

Mineral  matter 3.86 

Fat 20.89 

Albuminoids       ......  37.75 

Wood  Fibre 2.00 

Starch 24.08 

Loss .10 


100.00 


The  bean  is  more  difficult  of  digestion  than  other 
vegetable  products,  and  this  is,  perhaps,  one  reason 
why  persons  with  weak  powers  of  digestion  are 
unable  to  use  them.  If,  however,  they  be  prop- 
erly prepared,  thoroughly  masticated,  and  instead 
of  being  eaten  in  large  quantities  once  or  twice  a 
week  are  eaten  in  small  amounts  daily  we  should 
have  less  complaint  of  their  indigestibility.  Beans 
are  more  digestible  when  vinegar  or  some  acid  is 
added  to  them. 

Blythe,  in  his  little  work,  ''  Diet  in  Relation  to 
Health  and  Work,"  says :  *'  To  utilize  the  legu- 
minous foods  to  the  best  advantage,  they  require  to 

be  finely  ground  into  meal  and  to  be  thoroughly 
cooked.  An  experiment  by  A.  Strtimpell  bears  on 
this.  Leguminous  meal  was  made  into  cakes,  with 
suitable  mixtures  of  eggs,  butter  and  milk,  and 
eaten,  and  compared  with  the  result  of  eating  the 
same  substance  without  grinding,  but  first  soaking 
in  water  and  then  boiling.  In  the  first  case  91.8 
per  cent,  of  the  nitrogen  was  absorbed ;  but  in  the 
second  only  59.8,  so  that  nearly  one-half  of  the 
'vegetable  meat' was  wasted." 


COMPOSITION  OP  BEANS,   ETC. 


119 


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120  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

THE  POTATO. 

The  potato  was  introduced  into  England  from 
America  about  the  year  1585.  The  three  hundredth 
anniversary  of  its  introduction  was  celebrated  in 
England  in  1885  by  an  exhibition,  and  by  many  in- 
teresting papers  on  the  history  of  this  vegetable. 
It  is  somewhat  uncertain  to  whom  its  introduction 
was  due,  although  Raleigh  has  received  the  most 
credit  for  it.  For  nearly  two  hundred  years  it  was 
not  much  prized,  and  it  is  hardly  over  one  hun_ 
dred  years  since  its  use  became  general  throughout 
Europe  and  America. 

The  potato  is  composed,  aside  from  nearly  76 
per  cent,  of  water,  mainly  of  starch ;  and,  indeed, 
as  the  source  of  the  carbohydrates  it  furnishes  an 
abundant  supply  at  a  very  low  cost.  Its  great  de- 
ficiency is  fat  and  nitrogenous  substances.  A  por- 
tion of  its  nitrogen  exists  in  the  form  of  solanine, 
which  is  very  poisonous ;  but  as  this  is  mainly  in 
the  pealing,  it  rarely  causes  any  injury.  Solanine 
is  quickly  destroyed  by  heat  in  baking  the  potato, 
and  this  is,  perhaps,  one  reason  why  baked  potatoes 
are  more  wholesome  for  invalids  and  those  with  weak 
powers  of  digestion.  The  poison  is,  no  doubt,  also  ex- 
tracted into  the  water  by  the  process  of  boiling. 

Potatoes  should  be  thoroughly  masticated  in  or- 
der to  bring  them  under  the  influence  of  the  saliva 
for  their  most  perfect  digestion,  as  the  gastric  juice 
of  the  stomach  would  have  little  or  no  influence 
upon  them.  Indeed,  if  accepted  theories  of  digesting 
be  correct,  not  much  of  the  potato  is  digested  in  the 
stomach.  "With  some  fatty  and  oily  food,  and  brown 
bread  and  beans,  a  cheap  diet  might  be  prepared,  ca- 
pable of  supporting  life  and  bodily  vigor  indefinitely. 


THE  SWEET  POTATO.  121 

Potatoes  require  great  care  in  cooking,  so  they 
will  be  mealy,  and  not  sodden.  In  the  latter  con- 
dition they  are  neither  wholesome  nor  agreeable. 

The  composition  of  the  uncooked  potato  according 
to  the  mean  of  70  analyses  is  as  follows  : 

Water 75.77 

Nutritive  nitrogenous  substances  .        .  .84 

Non- nutritive    "                  *'                 .        .  .95 

Fatty  matter .16 

Starch 20.56 

Woody  Fiber     ......  .75 

Ash .97 

100.00 

THB  SWEET  POTATO. 

Another  delicious  tuber  is  the  sweet  potato.  It  is 
said  to  be  indigenous  in  the  Malagan  Archipalago, 
growing  wild  in  the  woods.  It  requires  a  warmer 
climate,  and  a  warmer  soil,  than  the  common  potato, 
and  more  care  in  raising.  It  is  cultivated  in  the 
south  of  Europe,  in  India,  and  in  America;  but, 
since  the  introduction  of  the  Irish  potato,  its  use  in 
Europe  is  somewhat  less.  Its  composition  differs 
considerably  from  the  common  potato,  and  it  is  a 
little  more  expensive  article  of  diet. 

Its  composition,  according  to  Payan,  is  as  follows: 

Nitrogenous  matter 1.50 

Starch 16.05 

Sugar 10.20 

Cellulose .45 

Fatty  matter 30 

Other  organic  matter           .        .        ,        .  1.10 

Mineral  salts 2.60 

Water 67.80 

100.00 
6 


122  ALIMENTARY  PEOBUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

THE   OmON. 

The  onion  is  used  extensively  throughout  the 
civilized  world,  and  is  very  nutritious.  Those 
grown  in  northern  climates  are  stronger  and  less 
delicate  than  those  grown  in  warm  latitudes. 

In  Spain  and  Portugal  the  raw  onion,  with  bread, 
often  forms  a  dinner  for  the  working  man.  The 
peculiar  taste  of  the  onion  is,  in  a  large  part,  due  to 
an  acrid,  volatile,  sulphurous  oil,  much  of  which  is 
dissipated  by  boiling. 

Onions  sliced  into  beans,  peas  or  lentils  and  boiled 
with  them  improve  the  flavor  of  the  latter,  and 
strange  to  say,  entirely  lose  their  odor  and  power 
to  taint  the  breath. 

Its  average  composition  is  (Blythe) : 

Water .        .        64.66 

Nitrogenous  matter 6.76 

Fat 0.C6 

Nitrogen  free,  extractive  matter      .        .  26.31 

Woody  Fiber 77 

Mineral  matter 1.44 


100.00 

OTHER  ROOTS, 

The  carrot,  parsnip,  turnip,  beet  and  radish  have 
little  nutritive  value,  being  mostly  water.  They 
cannot  be  said  to  be  important  articles  of  diet,  but 
for  change  and  variety  they  have  some  value. 
They  are  also  useful  in  making  vegetable  soups. 

\the  cabbage. 

The  cabbage  tribe  is  large,  including  as  it  does 
cauliflower,  broccoli,  Kohl-rabi  and  some  others. 


RHUBARB,   CELERY,   ETC.  123 

They  contain  about  90  per  cent,  of  water,  and  con- 
sequently little  nourishment.  When  fresh,  crisp 
and  tender  they  have  a  delicate,  almost  delicious 
taste,  and  for  those  who  live  upon  highly  concen- 
trated food  they  must  be  useful, 

SPINACH. 

The  leaves  of  the  spinach  are  tender,  especially 
in  the  spring  of  the  year.  They  furnish  an  early 
fresh  vegetable,  which  may  be  considered  very 
wholesome,  more  particularly  for  those  who  suffer 
from  constipation.  Like  cabbage,  it  contains  about 
90  per  cent,  of  water. 

RHUBARB, 

This  vegetable  is  said  to  be  a  relative  of  the  buck- 
wheat tribe.  It  furnishes  much  acid,  similar  to 
fruit  acids,  and  is  useful  as  an  early  vegetable. 

CELERY, 

The  use  of  celery  is  extending  rapidly,  and  when 
properly  grown  furnishes  a  delicious  relish  and  con- 
siderable nutriment.  It  has  some  reputation  as 
an  antidote  for  rheumatism;  but  other  appetizing 
fruits  are,  no  doubt,  equally  useful.  It  has  also  a 
reputation  for  promoting  sleep. 

ASPARAGUS. 

The  young  and  tender  shoots  oi  the  asparagus 
furnish  an  early  and  and  an  appetizing  food,  with 
only  a  small  amount  of  nutriment.  It  is  a  diuretic, 
and  contains  over  93  per  cent,  of  water. 


124  ALIMENTARY  PRODUCTS  OF  VEGETABLES. 

LETTUCE. 

Lettuce  has  been  cultivated  and  eaten  from  time 
immemorial.  The  head  of  the  lettuce,  when  crisp 
and  tender,  makes  a  digestible  and  wholesome  salad. 
I  once  had  a  patient  who  seemed  to  object  to  every 
form  of  food  I  offered.  I  said,  *^Is  there  anything 
you  can  eat  ?"  and  the  reply  was,  ''I  crave  lettuce.' 
I  brought  a  large  plate  of  the  tenderest  lettuce  I 
could  find  in  the  market,  with  proper  dressing,  and 
told  my  patient  to  eat  all  the  appetite  called  for ; 
she  did  so  with  a  most  excellent  result.  Good, 
fresh,  tender  lettuce  contains  about  95  per  cent,  of 
water. 

CRES&, 

The  young  leaves  of  the  garden  cress  make  an 
agreeable  and  healthful  salad,  much  esteemed. 
Watercress,  a  creeping  plant  which  grows  in  slowly- 
running  cold  spring  water,  is  an  appetizing  and 
wholesome  plant,  somewhat  pungent  to  the  taste, 
but  containing  little  nutriment. 


CHAPTER   X. 
FRUITS. 

Writers  on  dietetics  do  not  rank  fruits  as  highly 
as  they  deserve,  because  they  are  guided  by  the 
chemist,  who  finds  much  less  solid  matter  in  them 
than  in  the  grains.  From  this  standpoint  they  do 
rank  low;  but  their  value  is  not  to  be  estimated 
in  this  way.  They  possess  precious  qualities  and 
virtues  not  yet  known  to  chemistry.  Their  juices, 
distilled  in  Nature's  laboratory,  need  no  boiling  or 
filtering,  and  never  convey  the  germs  of  disease. 
How  easily  they  go  through  tissues  of  the  body', 
leaving  their  precious  salts  of  potash,  soda,  phos. 
phorus,  or  whatever  they  may  be,  taking  up  the 
broken-down  debris  of  the  system  and  carrying  it 
off !  Their  acids,  how  refreshing ;  their  salts,  how 
stimulating ;  their  delicious  flavors,  how  they  play 
on  the  nervous  system !  They  clog  not,  neither  do 
they  cloy.  A  physician  writes  to  me  on  this  sub- 
ject, saying : 

*'' There  is  scarcely  a  disease  to  which  the  human 
family  is  heir  but  the  sufferings  therefrom  would 
be  greatly  relieved  or  entirely  prevented  by  the  use 
of  fruits,  which  are  now  so  generally  forbidden. 
Many  diseases  would  be  conducted  to  a  safe  ter- 
mination by  the  free  use  of  fruits,  because  of  the 

(125) 


126  FRUITS. 

acids  they  contain.  When  our  troops  were  fighting 
the  Seminoles  in  Florida,  many  were  sick  with 
diarrhea  and  dysentery,  and  cured  these  disorders 
by  stealing  from  the  hospitals  into  the  fields  and 
eating  fruits,  blackberries  especially.  I  have  sent 
several  children  suffering  with  cholera  infantum 
and  with  dysentery  to  the  peach  orchards  of  Dela 
ware,  with  most  gratifying  results ;  and  where  they 
could  not  be  carried  to  the  orchards  to  pick  and  eat 
the  fruit  tresh  from  th  e  trees,  I  have  had  the  little 
sufferers  fed  with  sound  fruit  with  equally  good 
results. 

'*  In  typhoid  fever,  in  the  treatment  of  which  such 
extraordinary  care  is  enjoined  as  regards  diet,  fruits 
are  not  only  often  highly  grateful  to  the  patient, 
but  work  most  favorable  results.  A  physician  who 
had  been  sick  some  weeks  with  this  disease,  says 
his  diarrhea  was  cured  by  peaches.  *  I  ate  the  half 
of  a  large  peach,'  said  he,  *and  feeling  no  ill  ef- 
fects I  ate  the  other  half,  then  one  or  two  more,  and 
the  next  day  as  many  as  I  desired.  My  bowels  got 
better  at  once,  and  my  recovery  was  rapid.' 

**A  typhoid  fever  patient,  who  had  been  about 
three  weeks  sick,  and  though  imploring,  was  al- 
lowed no  diet  but  beef  tea  or  milk  punch,  came 
under  my  care  for  a  few  days.  I  immediately  or- 
dered a  free  use  of  peaches  and  grapes,  and  the 
diarrhea  at  once  ceased,  and  at  the  end  of  five  days? 
when  I  relinquished  the  care  of  her,  she  was  con- 
valescent. My  impression  is,  the  disease  runs  a 
shorter  and  more  favorable  course  under  the  free 
use  of  fruits  tlian  under  the  usual  method  of  treat- 
ment, and  I  think  the  use  of  stimulants  is  rarely 
required  when  fruits  are  freely  given. 


THE  APPLE.  127 

*'In  the  treatment  of  scarlet  fever  and  diphtheria 
our  summer  fruits  and  many  of  the  vegetables  are 
most  useful,  and  to  the  best  may  be  added  some,  or, 
in  fact,  any  foreign  fruit.  There  is  scarcely  a  dis- 
ease accompanied  with  fever  but  grapes  and  banan- 
as may  be  freely  given  to  the  patient.  In  the  treat- 
ment of  dysentery  I  would  very  much  prefer  ripe, 
sound  fruits,  peaches  especially,  to  any  medicine 
that  can  be  suggested." 

THE  APPLE. 

The  apple  is  the  prince  of  fruits,  and  can  in  our 
climate  be  preserved  so  as  to  continue  during  the 
entire  year.  My  friend  Joel  Benton  has  permitted 
me  to  quote  from  his  classic  essay  on  this  fruit : 

**  As  iron  is  rated  among  the  metals,  so  the  apple 
ranks  among  fruits.  It  is  not  the  most  luxurious 
or  the  most  luscious  for  the  moment,  but  it  is  the 
most  durably  valuable,  the  most  practical.  All 
languages  make  room  for  its  name,  and  being  al- 
ways planted  near  the  house,  it  equals  the  dog  in 
its  notoriety  for  human  companionship.  As  the 
word  hook  is  appropriated  as  the  chief  book  of  all, 
so  apple  sometimes  stands  for  fruit  in  general. 
Scripture  and  geology,  which  .have  been  supposed 
to  differ  about  some  things,  agree  as  to  its  age,  both 
placing  its  birth  just  a  little  before  man's,  as  if  it 
were  said,  *  Now  the  apple  is  born,  it  is  time  for 
man  to  be,  who  is  destined  to  eat.' 

*' Curiously  enough,  the  apple  has  a  very  perti- 
nent relation  to  the  brain,  stimulating  its  life  and  its 
activity,  which  it  does  by  its  immense  endowment 
of  phosphorus,  in  which  element  it  is  said  to  be 
richer  than  anythmg  else  in  the  vegetable  kingdom. 


128  FRUITS. 

But  phosphorus  is  not  only  brain-supporting ;  it  is 
light-bringing  J  and  must  thus  contribute  to  knowl- 
edge. 

''The  apple  follows  the  belt  of  civilization,  the. 
zone  of  intellect,  or  else  is  followed  by  it.     It  is,  at 
any  rate,  correlative,  and  we  may  well  say  : 
'Where  thou  art  is  clime  for  me.' 

*'  The  celebrity  of  this  fruit  not  only  goes  through 
the  mythologies,  but  mention  is  made  of  it  in  the 
Old  Testament  in  about  ten  places.  Solomon  says 
in  his  Song,  *  As  the  apple  tree  among  the  trees  of 
the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons.'  And, 
in  another  place,  'Stay  me  with  flagons,  comfort  me 
with  apples/  'A  word  fitly  spoken/  says  the  pro- 
verb, 'is  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver.' 
Loki,  who  was  the  great  thief  and  mischief  maker 
among  the  iN'orthern  divinities,  stole  Iduna's  apples, 
and  the  Grecian  writers  report  a  similar  f reebooting 
of  Mercury,  which  gives  the  schoolboy  his  eminent 
example.  Mr.  John  Burroughs  says,  '  The  boy  is 
indeed  the  true  apple-eater,  and  is  not  to  be  ques- 
tioned how  he  came  by  the  fruit  with  which  his 
pockets  are  filled.'  He  will  even  eat  with  relish 
that  puckery  atrocity,  the  unripe  green  apple,  the 
windfall  of  July,  the  very  embodiment  of  vegetable 
total  depravity. 

"We  are  told  that  in  Arabia  the  apple  'is  be- 
lieved to  charm  away  disease,  and  produce  health 
and  prosperity.  In  some  countries  the  custom  re- 
mains of  placing  a  rosy  apple  in  the  hand  of  the 
dead,  that  they  may  find  it  when  they  enter  Para- 
dise.' 

"Mr.  Thoreau  says  that  'apples  made  a  part  of 
the  food  of  that  unknown  primitive  people  whose 


THE  APPLE.  129 

traces  have  been  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  Swiss 
lake,  supposed  to  be  older  than  the  foundation  of 
Eome ;  so  old  that  they  had  no  metallic  implements. 
Cowley  makes  his  muse  give  thanks  to  him  who 
restores  or  improves  the  apple  : 

*He  bids  the  ill-natured  crab  produce 
The  gentle  apple's  loving  juice, 
The  golden  fruit  that  worthy  is 
Of  Galatea's  purple  kiss.' 

*'  It  may  be  safely  said  that,  except  the  various 
kinds  of  grain,  there  is  no  product  of  the  earth  in 
this  country  which  is  so  good  for  food  as  the  apple. 
This  noble  fruit  is  no  mere  palate-pleaser ;  it  is  very 
nutritious.  Not  only  is  it  more  nourishing  than  the 
potato,  but  it  contains  acids  mild  and  gentle,  as 
well  as  pleasing  to  the  taste,  which  act  in  a  benifi- 
cent  manner  upon  the  whole  animal  economy.  An 
apple-eater  is  very  rarely  either  dyspeptic  or  bilious." 

*'  An  English  writer  says  :  *  It  will  beggar  a  doc- 
tor to  live  where  orchards  thrive.'  Mr.  Burroughs 
offers  statistics  showing  that  certain  operatives  in 
Cornwall,  England,  in  a  time  of  scarcity  found 
apples  in  some  manner  a  substitute  for  meat.  They 
could  work  on  baked  apples  without  meat,  when  a 
potato  diet  was  not  sufficient.  To  its  healthfulness 
he  bears  witness :  '  Especially  to  those  whose  soil 
of  life  is  inclined  to  be  a  little  clayey  and  heavy  is 
the  apple  a  winter  necessity.  It  is  the  natural  anti- 
dote to  most  of  the  ills  the  flesh  is  heir  to.  Full  of 
vegetable  acids  and  aromatic  qualities  which  act  as 
refrigerants  and  antiseptics,  what  an  enemy  it  is 
to  jaundice,  indigestion,  torpidity  of  liver,  etc.  !  It 
is  a  gentle  spur  and  tonic  to  the  whole  biliary 
system. 

6* 


130  FRUITS. 

'^  The  individual  fruit  in  his  hands  he  describes 
ecstatically  :  '  How  pleasing  to  the  touch  !  I  love  to 
stroke  its  polished  roundure  with  my  hand,  to  carry 
it  in  my  pocket  in  my  tramp  over  the  winter  hills, 
or  through  the  early  spring  woods.  You  are  com. 
pany,  you  red-cheeked  spitz,  or  you  salmon-fleshed 
greening  !  I  toy  with  you,  press  your  face  to  mine, 
toss  you  in  the  air,  roll  you  on  the  ground,  see  you 
shine  out  where  you  lie  amid  the  moss,  the  dry 
leaves  and  sticks.  You  are  so  alive !  You  glow  like 
a  ruddy  flower !  You  look  so  animated,  I  almost 
expect  to  see  you  move  !  I  postpone  the  eating  of 
you,  you  are  so  beautiful!  How  compact!  How 
exquisitely  tinted !  Stained  by  the  sun,  and  var- 
nished against  the  rains !  An  independent  vege- 
table existence,  alive  and  vascular  as  my  own  flesh, 
capable  of  being  wounded,  bleeding,  wasting  away, 
or  almost  repairing  damages  !' 

^'Mr.  Alcott,  whom  Carlyle  could  never  pardon 
for  his  vegetarianism,  was  an  equal  eulogist  of  this 
fruit.  He  says :  ^  Apples  are  general  favorites. 
Every  eye  covets,  every  hand  reaches  to  them.  It 
is  a  noble  fruit ;  the  friend  of  immortality,  its  vir- 
tues blush  to  be  tasted.  Every  muse  delights  in  it, 
as  its  mythology  shows,  from  the  gardens  of  the 
Hesperides  to  the  orchard  of  Plato.  A  basket  of 
pearmains,  golden  russets,  or  any  of  the  choice 
kinds,  standing  in  sight,  shall  perfume  the  scholar's 
composition  as  it  refreshes  his  genius.' 

*^  For  a  filip  to  the  best  social  feeling  and  the  wit- 
tiest conversation  we  wait  till  the  apples  appear. 
How  well  they  brighten  up  the  dull  winter  evening 
when  they  go  round !  Whittier,  in  speaking  of  old 
times  in  the  country,  says : 


THE  APPLE.  131 

'And  for  the  winter  fireside  meet, 
Between  the  andiron's  straggling  feet, 
The  mug  of  cider  simmered  slow, 
The  apples  spattered  in  a  row, 
And  close  at  hand  the  basket  stood, 
With  nuts  from  brown  October's  wood.' 

'^  Strangely  stimulating  is  this  fruit !  The  activ- 
ity it  gives  to  the  blood  is  fairly  contagious.  I  sus- 
pect a  good  many  of  the  shrewd  sayings  of  our  wise 
forefathers,  which  survive  orally  in  every  neighbor- 
hood, owe  their  spur  and  sparkle  to  the  juicy  apple. 
I  have  a  young  lady  friend  who  always  beats  at  a 
favorite  game  after  the  apples  appear,  though  be- 
fore they  arrive  I  am  occasionally  the  victor. 

''Mr.  Thoreau  is  fantastic  enough  to  think  that 
the  man  who  deals  wuth  apples  should  be  of  a  solid 
and  robust  quality,  for  he  says,  '  When  I  see  a  par- 
ticularly mean  man  carrying  them  to  market,  I 
seem  to  see  a  contest  going  on  between  him  and  his 
horses  on  one  side,  and  the  apples  on  the  other, 
and,  to  my  mind,  the  apples  always  gain  it.' 

*' There  are  some  api^le-eaters — men  more  partic- 
ularly— who  can  apparently  eat  just  as  many  apples 
after  a  meal  as  if  no  meal  had  been  served.  I  recall 
a  laboring  man,  w^ho  ate  six  large  ones  after  a 
hearty  dinner,  and  went  his  way  as  if  nothing  nota- 
ble had  happened.  This  was  twenty-five  years  ago, 
and  he  still  lives,  and  is  destined  to  live,  perhaps, 
as  long  as  will  the  tree  that  bore  them.  They  were 
eaten  raw,  as  the  epicure  of  this  fruit  tells  you  they 
alwavs  should  be,  and  the  second  orthodox  rule  is 
to  'dispense  with  the  knife.'  Any  one,  however, 
who  is  not  anxious  to  have  them  as  good  as  they 
can  be,  will  do  the  next  best  thing  in  following  this 
recipe,  which  I  will  venture  to  vouch  for :  Buy  a 


132  FRUITS. 

small  tin  apple-corer ;  core  with  it  as  many  apples 
as  you  want,  without  peeling  them;  set  them  on  a 
porcelain  dish;  place  this  in  a  hot  oven,  having 
first  filled  up  the  vacancies  left  by  your  surgery 
with  the  best  of  sugar.  Let  them  bake  till  they  are 
well  done.  Take  them  out,  and  if  you  do  not  know 
what  to  do  next,  call  in  your  nearest  and  best  friend 
for  further  advice." 

It  would  be  useless  to  try  to  give  chemical  analy- 
ses of  the  average  composition  of  apples,  they  vary 
so.  They  contain  from  81  to  85  per  cent,  of  water ; 
from  6  to  10  per  cent.,  or  more,  of  sugar;  from  ^  of 
1  per  cent  to  1  per  cent,  of  free  acid ;  from  3  to  8 
per  cent,  of  albuminous  substances,  and  less  than 
i  of  1  per  cent,  of  salts. 

This  noble  fruit  may  be  served  in  a  great  variety 
of  ways,  or,  best  of  all,  may  be  eaten  raw.  For  the 
latter  way  the  finest,  juiciest,  most  appetizing  ones 
should  be  chosen — those  which  have  a  spicy  taste 
and  refresh  almost  from  the  moment  they  enter  the 
mouth.  As  a  part  of  the  breakfast,  delicious  apples 
often  put  one  in  good  humor  for  the  entire  day. 
At  least  for  this  meal  they  might,  with  brown  bread 
and  perhaps  a  glass  of  milk  or  a  cup  of  chocolate, 
for  moderate  workers  form  almost  the  entire  meal. 

In  cooking  apples,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that 
heat  often  brings  out  of  poor  fruit  fine  qualities ;  so 
that  varieties  not  suitable  for  eating  uncooked  fre- 
quently make  the  best  pies  and  sauce. 

GRAPES, 

I  rank  grapes  next  to  apples  in  value  and  in 
healthfulness.  Originally  cultivated  between  the 
20th  and  40th  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  only 


GRAPES.  133 

then  successfully  where  soil  and  climate  were  most 
favorable,  they  are  to-day,  through  a  better  agri- 
culture, grown  much  more  extensively  and  farther 
north  and  south.  As  an  article  of  food  the  grape 
has  always  been  highly  prized,  and  its  unferment- 
ed  juice  makes  a  nourishing  drink.  The  ancient 
Greeks  and  Romans  boiled  the  grape  juice  to  one- 
half  or  one-third  its  bulk  and  drank  it.  In  Ger- 
many, Italy  and  France  to-day,  during  the  vintage 
much  grape  juice  is  drunk,  and  in  many  places  the 
juice  is  boiled  to  a  syrup  and  used  in  various  food 
preparations. 

The  constituents  of  the  grape  vary  with  the  vari- 
ety, the  soil,  the  climate  and  state  of  the  weather. 

1. — An  important  part  of  the  grape  is  its  sugar, 
which  may  be  as  high  as  30  per  cent,  or  as  low  as 
10  per  cent.  The  warmer  and  drier  the  weather  at 
the  time  of  ripening  the  more  sugar  in  the  grape, 
and  the  less  acid  it  is  found  to  contain. 

2. — No  grape  is  entirely  devoid  of  the  acid  called 
vinous  acid,  similar  to  the  malic  acid  of  the  apple. 

3. — There  is  a  small  quantity  of  albuminous  mat- 
ter in  the  grape,  similar  to  the  albumen  in  the 
blood,  also  some  gum  and  dextrine. 

4. — The  mineral  constituents  are,  tartarate  of  pot- 
ash, soda,  phosphoric  acid,  lime,  magnesia  and  iron, 
with  a  few  other  unimportant  minerals. 

4. — The  coloring  matter  is  slight;  but  some  grapes 
contain  considerable  tannin  and  fatty  oils. 

6. — From  70  to  80  per  cent,  of  the  grape  is  water. 

THE  NUTRITIVE  VALUE  OF  THE  GRAPE. 

Grapes  are  nourishing,  but  their  nourishing  prop- 
erties are  not  the  same  as  those  of  bread  and  meat, 


134  FRUITS. 

for  they  contain  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  pro- 
tein which  is  required  daily.  For  instance,  it  would 
take  over  one  pound  of  grapes  to  give  as  much 
albumen  as  is  found  in  a  single  egg.  But  as  protein 
is  so  abundant  in  our  grains  we  do  not  need  it  in 
our  fruits,  and  this  is  a  wise  provision  of  Nature. 
In  non-nitrogenous  substances,  in  acids,  in  mineral 
matter,  in  pure  water  and  refreshing  qualities  con- 
sists the  great  value  of  the  grape. 

THEIR  PHYSIOLOGICAL  EFFECTS. 

The  physiological  effects  of  the  grape  are  signifi- 
cant. Eaten  with  other  suitable  food,  and  es- 
pecially with  bread  in  quantities  of  from  one  to  two 
pounds  daily  they  increase  nutrition,  promote  secre- 
tion and  excretion,  improve  the  action  of  the  liver, 
kidneys  and  bowels,  and  add  to  the  health.  The 
sugar  of  the  grape  requires  no  digestion,  but  is 
taken  almost  at  once  into  the  blood,  where  it  ren- 
ders up  its  force  as  is  required;  so,  also,  of  the  water. 

The  dextrine  of  the  grape  promotes  the  secretion 
of  pepsine,  and  this  favors  digestion.  Sometimes 
when  grapes  are  taken  too  freely  the  heart  may  be 
excited  by  the  potash  salts,  but  this  need  not  occur. 
The  phosphoric  acid,  of  which  there  is  considerable, 
acts  most  favorable  on  all  the  bodily  functions,  and 
especially  on  the  brain.  Grapes  richest  in  phos- 
phoric acid  are  best.  Preuss  found  wine  rich  in 
phosphoric  acid  most  favorable  to  the  recovery  of 
children  ill  with  many  diseases,  and  in  order  to  dis- 
cover if  these  effects  were  in  any  respects  due  to  the 
alcohol,  he  removed  it  by  evaporation  and  found 
the  results  quite  as  striking.  He  also  showed  that 
the  tartarate  of  potash  in  the  wine  rendered  the 


GRAPES.  135 

blood  more  alkaline,  which  he  deemed  to  be  a  bene- 
fit in  some  diseases.  Grapes  have  been  found  ex- 
cellent in  cases  of  diarrhea,  a  result  possibly  due  to 
the  tannin,  but  it  cannot  be  entirely  owing  to  this 
substance. 

THE  GRAPE  CURE. 

Grapes,  say  several  authorities,  act  very  much 
like  mineral  waters  on  the  system ;  but  they  must 
be  more  beneficial  than  mineral  water  because  they 
nourish,  and  their  effect  on  the  nervous  is  greater 
through  their  more  agreeable  taste.  Eaten  moder- 
ately with  a  suitable  diet  they  will  not  produce 
cathartic  effects,  but  a  more  natural  action  of  the 
bowels,  so  important  to  health,  or  if  eaten  in  larger 
quantities,  they  are  gently  laxative.  As  soon  as 
this  occurs  obstructions  disappear,  and  a  feeling 
of  comfort  arises  which  is  very  gratifying  to  the 
sufferer. 

'*At  present,"  says  Dr.  Knauthe,  *'the  grape  is 
used  in  diseases  of  the  most  varied  character,  most- 
ly, indeed,  upon  the  ground  of  present  experience, 
as  also  upon  that  of  its  ancient  reputation.  It  is 
chiefly  celebrated  and  effective  in  the  treatment  of 
affections  of  the  digestive  organs,  namely,  catarrh 
of  the  stomach,  with  or  without  intestinal  catarrh, 
heart  affections  and  dyspepsia,  which  without  pain 
are  accompanied  by  a  feeling  of  pressure  and  ful- 
ness, and  which  are  followed  as  a  consequence  by 
loss  of  appetite,  sluggish  movements  of  the  bowels, 
sour  eructations  and  heartburn,  in  habitual  costive- 
ness;  also  in  affections  resulting  from  alcoholism. 
It  is  successful  in  all  diseases  where  a  cleansing  of 
the    intestinal  canal  is  requisite,   as  in    hemmor- 


« 


136  FRUITS. 

rhoids  or  the  so-called  abdominal  plethora,  in  con- 
gestion of  the  brain,  in  the  most  varied  affections 
of  the  liver  which  cause  an  enlargement  of  this 
organ,  in  chronic  jaundice,  in  pleuritic  exudations, 
suppressed  menstruation.  And  further,  the  grape 
cure  acts  favorable  in  chronic  bronchial  catarrh, 
scrofula,  lung  complaints,  asthma,  enlargement  of 
the  spleen,  intermittent  fever,  cachexie,  chronic 
affections  of  the  urinary  system,  with  their  various 
consequences,  in  chlorosis,  (on  account  of  the  iron 
of  the  grape).  Curchard  and  Huber  observed  im- 
provement in  chronic  diarrhea.  Tscharner  regarded 
the  grape  cure  as  effectual  in  diarrhea  originating 
from  nervous  excitement  of  the  intestines,  as  also 
in  nervous  coughing.  Schirmer  observed  favorable 
effects  in  chronic  catarrh  of  the  areolar  tissue,  and 
Schulze  and  Curchod  recommended  the  grape  cure 
in  affections  of  the  skin,  as  freckles  and  scurvy^ 
while  Liebenstein  affirms  that  he  has  cured  the  itch 
by  its  use.  It  is  recommended  also  in  gravel,  dia- 
betes and  Bright's  disease  of  the  kidneys.  Its  ac- 
•  tion  is  especially  favorable  for  the  corpulent,  for 
the  gluttonous  and  high  livers. 

'*The  more  or  less  favorable  results  in  these  com- 
plaints are  to  be  attributed  to  the  important  fact  of 
the  cleansing  action  of  the  grape,  and  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  this  treatment,  on  account  of  its  easy 
application,  is  to  be  preferred  to  other  methods  of 
cleansing,  especially  since  it  is  in  the  power  of  the 
physician  to  give  prominence  to  the  nourishing,  or 
rather  to  the  not  weakening,  side  of  the  treatment, 
and  thus  to  adapt  it  to  the  constitutional  require- 
ments of  the  patient. 

^'  Great  virj^ue  has  been  ascribed  to  the  grape  cure 


THE  GRAPE.  137 

in  cases  of  tuberculosis  and  consumption  of  the 
lungs,  and  the  different  grape  cure  physicians  have 
each  peculiar  views  concerning  it,  and  make  great 
and  small  distinctions  concerning  its  efficiency  in 
different  complaints,  each  according  to  his  own 
experience  and  according  to  the  standpoint  from 
which  each  regards  the  question  of  tuberculosis, 
etc.  One  will  apply  the  grape  cure  only  in  chronic 
pneumonia  and  phthisis  where  the  intestinal  canal 
is  healthy;  another  will  find  it  indicated  only  in 
certain  periods  of  phthisis ;  still  others  think  it  in- 
dicated only  in  phthisical  tendencies,  but  especially 
says  "Weber:  **The  grape  cure  is  most  suitable  for 
persons  who  are  not  reduced  in  flesh,  and  who  suf- 
fer from  no  irritating  conditions  of  the  vascular 
system.  Sweet  grapes  rarely  cause  diarrhea.  When 
tuberculous  persons  are  very  lean,  poor  in  blood 
and  feverish,  the  grape  cure  is  not  suitable,  though 
they  may  use  grapes  as  part  of  their  diet.  For  such 
patients  foods  rich  in  albumen  are  to  be  preferred. 
The  treatment  which  is  understood  by  the  term 
grape  cure,  that  is  the  eating  of  five  to  eight  pounds 
of  grapes  in  the  course  of  each  day,  whereby  an 
irritation  of  the  intestinal  canal  and  a  softer  or 
thinner  stool  is  caused,  is  in  chronic  tuberculosis 
and  phthisis  under  all  circumstances  injurious,  as 
is  shown  by  the  physiological  and  anatomical  con- 
ditions in  tuberculosis  and  phthisis.  The  first  and 
most  important  task  in  this  disease  consists  in  the 
avoidance  of  violent  action  upon  the  body  and  in 
securing  to  it  the  necessary  fresh  air  and  rest.  All 
permanently  exciting  action  upon  the  intestinal 
eanal,  even  when  it  is  healthy,  is  especially  ir- 
rational, as  is  plain  when  we  consider  the  liability 


138  FKUITS. 

of  such  patients  to  follicular  inflammation  of  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  intestines,  and  that  this 
may  be  induced  at  any  time  by  very  slight  causes, 
and  when  caused  that  the  tendency  to  accumulate 
caseous  products  in  the  system  may  have  the  most 
dangerous  consequences.  A  good  digestion  and  a 
sound  stomach  and  intestines  are  in  consumption 
of  the  lungs  the  most  important  factors  in  securing 
a  tolerable  existence. 

*^A  regular  use  of  from  one  to  two  pounds  of 
grapes  daily,  together  with  a  nutritious  diet,  is  very 
beneficial  to  a  healthy  stomach  and  intestines,  since 
here  the  fat-building,  nourishing  effects  of  the  grape 
are  manifest ;  but,  strange  to  say,  this  form  of  grape 
eating  is  not  reckoned  as  a  grape  cure  by  those  who 
insist  that  there  should  be  some  certain  number  of 
evacuations  daily ;  and  yet  there  is  no  doubt  that 
this  method  of  grape  eating  may  properly  be  called 
a  grape  cure,  that  is,  for  example,  when  during  five 
or  six  weeks  there  are  eaten  daily  from  one  to  two, 
or  even  three  pounds  of  grapes.  Their  favorable 
action  is  certain  if  accompanied  by  regular  exercise 
and  a  suitable  diet. 

''Paul  Niemeyer  ("Atmiatrie  p.  174)  utters  the 
truth  when  he  says,  ''Modern  society  possesses  too 
little  power  of  abstraction  to  pursue  a  mere  course 
of  breathing  gymnastics  with  daily  renewed  zeal. 
Devotion  comes  first  when  the  effort  is  a  means  to 
an  end,  namely,  to  the  consumption  and  digestion 
of  whey,  grapes,  vegetable  juices,  and  the  like. 

METHODS  OF  THE  GRAPE  CURE. 

"By  the  grape  cure  is  understood  the  daily,  and 
for  weeks,  continued  eating  of  grapes,  with  the 


THE  GRAPE.  139 

observance,  at  the  same  time,  of  a  prescribed  diet. 
Some  are  disposed  to  regard  that  only  as  grape  cure 
in  which  at  least  three  pounds  are  eaten  daily,  but 
upon  what  ground  is  not  plain.  The  action  of  the 
grapes  upon  the  system  is  controlled  by  the  kind  of 
diet  and  by  the  quantity  of  grapes  eaten  as  deter- 
mined by  the  symptoms  in  each  case  and  by  the 
constitution  of  the  patient.  In  accordance  with 
this,  the  prescribed  diet  is  either  liberal  or  restrict- 
ed. Usually  the  amount  of  grapes  eaten  varies  be- 
tween three  and  eight  pounds  daily. 

"In  eating  the  grapes,  the  following  conditions 
must  be  observed :  The  fruit  should  be  completely 
ripe,  and  should  be  washed  before  being  eaten  in 
order  that  impurities  and  insects  may  not  be  taken 
with  them.  The  grapes  must  be  fresh  from  the 
vine,  or,  as  some  prefer,  may  first  lie  a  few  hours 
in  order  to  avoid  the  injurious  effects  of  their  cold- 
ness, which,  with  sensitive  persons,  causes  a  dis- 
agreeable sensation  in  the  mouth  and  in  the  teeth, 
and  also  injures  the  stomach  and  intestines,  and 
may  produce  violent  diarrhea.  Eating  fresh  from 
the  vine  in  the  vineyard  itself  is,  therefore,  only 
exceptionally  to  be  permitted  during  the  heat  of  the 
day.  The  grapes  should  not  be  bitten  with  the  teeth, 
but  pressed  with  the  tongue  against  the  roof  of  the 
mouth,  by  which  the  blunting  of  the  teeth  is  les- 
sened. The  skins  and  seeds  should  not  be  swal- 
lowed. The  cure  is  begun  by  eating  a  small  quantity 
of  grapes,  usually  one  to  two  pounds  each  day,  in- 
creased by  half  a  pound  daily  until  the  desired  quan- 
tity is  reached.  The  cure  should  not  be  suddenly 
interrupted,  but  the  quantity  eaten  gradually  dimin. 
ished  daily.     To  those  who  have  an  aversion  to 


140  FRUITS. 

grapes  on  account  of  the  disagreeable  feeling  which 
they  cause  in  the  teeth  and  in  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  mouth  I  would  give  the  freshly-pressed 
juice.  There  are  small  presses  for  this  purpose 
which  the  patient  himself  may  use  to  express  the 
juice  for  each  day's  consumption.  The  objection 
sometimes  made  to  this  expressed  juice,  namely, 
that  it  may  ferment  before  being  drank  and  thus 
cause  much  injury  is  not  valid,  since  the  time  that 
intervenes  between  the  pressing  and  drinking  is 
not  sufficient  to  admit  of  any  change  in  the  must. 
The  fermentation  may  be  wholly  prevented  for  a 
length  of  time  by  closing  up  the  juice  securely  in 
bottles.  A  hermetical  sealing  of  the  bottles  can- 
not, however,  prevent  fermentation,  since  the  cause 
of  fermentation,  the  germs,  enter  during  the 
preparation,  and  cannot  be  excluded  by  the  subse- 
quent sealing.  The  juice  enclosed  in  bottles  may 
indeed  keep  longer  than  that  exposed  to  the  air,  but 
certainly  not  for  any  great  length  of  time.  Accord- 
ing to  Neubauer  the  juice  keeps  for  years  good  and 
pure  when  well  filtered,  put  into  bottles  well  closed 
up,  and  then  the  germs  naade  incapable  of  develop- 
ment by  heating  the  filled  bottles  one  quarter  of  an 
hour  in  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  He  also  says 
that  he  has  kept  it  thus  treated  in  his  cellar  for  a 
length  of  time,  that  it  may  be  distinguished  in 
appearance  and  flavor  from  that  which  is  fresh, 
and  that  it  may  be  used  for  the  purposes  of  the 
grape  cure  at  any  season  of  the  year. 

**  Juice  not  containing  sufficient  sugar  was  pre- 
served by  the  ancients.  It  was  conducted  from  the 
press  into  a  cistern  and  then  filled  into  an  amphora 
(a  kind  of  jug  holding  several  gallons),  and  in  these 


GRAPES.  141 

vessels  sunk  in  a  pond  of  water  until  winter.  The 
juice  by  this  time  lost  all  tendency  to  fermentation, 
so  that  it  remained  fresh  a  whole  year  or  longer. 
This  was  regarded  as  intermediate  between  syrup 
and  wine,  and  by  the  Greeks  was  called  everlasting 
must. 

'*  We  return  now  to  the  subject  of  the  cure.  The 
grapes  to  be  eaten  each  day  are  divided  into  three 
portions.  Exercise  in  the  open  air  is  necessary  dur- 
ing the  act  of  eating.  The  first  portion  is  eaten  be- 
fore breakfast,  fasting,  between  seven  and  eight 
o'clock,  though  patients  who  cannot  bear  this  may 
first  eat  their  usual  breakfast  and  an  hour  afterward 
take  the  first  portion  of  grapes.  It  may  also  in  some 
cases  be  necessary  to  allow  no  grapes  at  this  time, 
or  to  allow  some  bread  crust  to  be  eaten  with  them. 
When  the  grapes  are  eaten  fasting  the  breakfast 
may  be  eaten  an  hour  later,  and  should,  of  course, 
be  light.  It  may  consist  of  bread,  tea,  thin  choco- 
late or  light  soup.  The  second  portion  of  grapes  is 
taken  in  the  forenoon,  at  least  an  hour  before  din- 
ner; the  third  portion  in  the  afternoon,  between 
three  and  five  o'clock,  but  always  from  one  to  two 
hours  after  dinner.  Some  physicians  allow  a  fourth 
portion  after  supper  (Schulze)."  j 

The  season  of  the  cure  falls  within  that  of  the 
ripening  of  the  grapes,  which  varies  according 
to  the  location  of  the  grape  cure,  as  southerly  or 
northerly,  and  between  the  middle  of  August  and 
the  middle  of  October. 

The  grape  cure  should  be  interrupted  during  men- 
struation and  in  cases  of  hemmorhoidal  bleeding, 
and  it  is  also  inadmissable  during  pregnancy  and 
nursing.  .  . 


142  FRUITS. 

With  regard  to  the  diet,  the  following  articles  are 
prohibited,  viz. :  all  heavy  foods,  foods  cooked  in 
fat  or  butter,  all  foods  causing  flatulence,  potatoes, 
roots,  kohl-rabi,  etc. ;  heavy  black  bread,  milk, 
beer,  fat,  heavy  fish,  pickled  flesh,  heavy  farina- 
ceous foods,  hard  eggs  and  cheese.  Permitted  are 
bread,  butter,  milk,  thin  chocolate,  and  fruits  in 
limited  quantities.  The  protection  of  the  teeth  re- 
quires their  being  cleansed  daily  with  some  powder 
which  will  neutralize  the  acid  of  the  fruit. 

Stomatitis  and  other  unfavorable  conditions,  as 
vomiting,  diarrhea  and  colic  are  treated  with  the 
usual  remedies.  Costiveness  occurring  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  cure  is  relieved  by  a  glass  of  bitter 
water,  or  by  eating  a  few  figs. 

CHOICE  OF  GRAPES. 

We  have  here  to  do  especially  with  those  best  for 
eating.  Regarding  these  the  following  are  the  chief 
requirements :  1.  That  the  berry  should  not  be  too 
small;  2.  That  the  skins  should  be  thin;  3.  That 
the  seeds  should  be  thin  and  small;  4.  That  they 
should  possess  a  sweet  and  agreeably  aromatic 
taste ;  5.  That  the  juice  should  not  be  too  watery, 
but  should  have  a  good  body,  and  the  berry  should 
be  somewhat  fleshy ;  6.  That  they  should  have  a 
certain  consistency  or  hardness.  According  to  the 
number  and  degree  of  these  qualities  table  grapes 
are  classified  as  very  fine  and  tolerably  good. 

It  is  in  European  countries  that  the  grape  cure 
has  been  most  thoroughly  studied  and  highly  de- 
veloped ;  but  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be 
made  popular  in  our  own  country.  We  have  a  de- 
lightful autumn  climate,  excellent  grapes,  though 


PEARS,   PEACHES,   ETC.  143 

differing  from  the  European  ones,  and  many  favor- 
ing conditions.  In  a  small  way  it  has  been  tried  by 
individuals  here  with  gratifying  results. 

OTHER  FRUITS. 

Having  given  so  much  space  to  apples  and  grapes 
I  must  pass  over  with  only  a  brief  mention  other 
fruits,  of  which  there  are  a  great  variety.  The  pear 
might  be  named  for  its  fine  qualities  and  the  con- 
siderable amount  of  iron  it  contains.  The  peach 
when  at  its  best,  and  fresh  and  alive  from  the  tree 
has  no  equal  for  deliciousness,  and  is  always  a 
favorite  with  invalids.  A  few  days  spent  in  the 
peach  orchards  of  Delaware,  eating  fruit  and  help- 
ing do  some  of  the  light  work,  have  benefited  many 
invalids.  The  cherry,  with  its  fine  acids  is  almost  a 
cure  for  diseases  of  the  bladder  and  kidneys ;  the 
blackberry,  which  when  stewed  with  sugar  fur- 
nishes a  drink  most  valuable  in  diarrhea  ;  the  straw- 
berry, a  great  luxury  if  sweet  and  fresh,  a  fruit 
that  cured  Wilson,  the  ornithologist,  of  a  chronic 
malarial  fever  after  the  doctors  had  failed ;  the 
lemon,  so  full  of  citric  acid  as  to  form  the  basis  of 
the  finest  drink  in  the  world  ;  the  orange,  a  tonic 
and  a  medicine  that  rarely  disagrees,  the  juice  of 
half  a  dozen  of  them  before  breakfast  or  at  almost 
any  time  will,  by  its  delightful  flavor  and  useful 
ful  salts,  often  turn  a  day  of  gloom  with  one  of  joy. 
No  wine  can  at  all  compare  with  its  stimulating  but 
not  intoxicating  qualities.  A  friend  who  owns  an 
orange  grove  tells  me  he  eats  of  them  ad  libitum 
during  the  season,  and  that  they  make  a  new  man 
of  him.  Then  there  is  the  banana  the  bread  of  the 
natives  of  many  countries,  the  plum,  the  fig,  the 


144  FRUITS. 

olive  and  many  others  I  might  mention  if  I  had 
space,  but  it  is  unnecessary. 

I  had  intended  to  give  a  chapter  on  nuts  as  foods, 
but  want  of  space  forbids.  They  abound  in  nour- 
ishment, but  vary  greatly  in  the  amount  of  differ- 
ent substances.  Several  are  rich  in  oil,  which 
might  properly  be  substituted  for  other  oils.  Chil- 
dren usually  object  to  fat  meat,  but  will  take  nuts 
instead.  Some  nuts  contain  considerable  nitroge- 
nous matter,  as  the  walnut;  others  are  rich  in 
starch,  as  the  chestnut.  The  table  of  analysis  will 
show  the  composition  of  most  of  them. 

By  many,  nuts  are  thought  difficult  of  digestion, 
and  this  is,  no  doubt,  because  they  contain  so  much 
cellulose  or  woody  matter;  but  if  properly  masti- 
cated, and  the  outside  skin  removed,  there  need 
be  no  trouble  from  this  source.  Nuts  contain  little 
water,  and  hence  if  eaten  in  considerable  quantities 
their  digestion  is  facilitated  by  lemonade  or  some 
acid  drink.  Those  who  do  not  eat  much  fat  meat  or 
butter  generally  manage  nuts  with  little  difficulty. 


CHAPTER    XL 

FOOD  FOR  DIFFERENT  AGES,  CONDITIONS  AND 

SEASONS. 

No  absolute  rule  can  be  laid  down  as  to  diet  for 
every  condition  because  people  differ  so  much  in 
their  constitutions  and  needs  ;  but  some  suggestions 
based  on  general  laws  will  be  found  useful. 

DIET  IN  INFANCY. 

It  hardly  needs  to  be  said  that  nothing  can  equal 
the  mother's  milk  for  the  child  for  the  first  six 
months  or  year  of  its  existence.  As  it  is  drawn  di- 
rectly from  the  mother's  breast  it  is  alive,  and  in 
this  living  condition  it  must  be  better  adapted  to 
nourish  the  infant  than  any  other  food.  If  the 
mother's  health  is  not  good,  or  if  her  milk  is 
not  abundant,  both  can  often  be  improved  and  in- 
creased by  wise  feeding.  She  should  spare  no  effort  to 
this  end.  She  may  herself  drink  as  much  pure  milk 
as  she  can  digest,  or,  what  is  quite  as  good,  use 
freely  thin  gruels  made  from  oatmeal,  corn  meal, 
barley  and  other  grains,  preparing  them  so  as  to  be 
agreeable  to  the  palate,  and  changing  from  one  to 
the  other  so  they  shall  not  cloy  the  appetite.  When 
the  teeth  come,  and  saliva  begins  to  be  secreted, 
then  the  mother  may  commence  feeding  the  child 
other  things ;  but  still  milk  should  form  the  staple 

(145) 


146  FOOD   FOR  DIFFERENT  CONDITIONS. 

article  of  diet  up  to  the  second  or  third  year.  In 
another  place  will  be  found  directions  for  making 
oatmeal  cream  for  the  young  child — a  preparation 
which  may  be  given  to  it,  when  it  is  three  or  four 
months  old,  as  a  partial  substitute  for  the  mother's 
milk  if  this  be  not  sufficient.  This  preparation  has 
proved  exceedingly  useful  in  many  cases.  A  large 
number  of  substitutes  for  milk  have  been  invented 
from  farinaceous  foods,  many  of  them  of  very  high 
excellence,  and  when  necessary  they  may  be  used 
if  more  convenient.  If  cows'  milk  be  used,  that 
from  a  perfectly  healthy  cow  should  be  procured. 
Goat's  milk  would  be  preferable  if  it  could  be  had. 
Goats  well  fed  and  cared  for  are  generally  very 
healthy,  and  their  milk  better  adapted  to  the  grow- 
ing child  than  that  from  the  cow. 

DIET  IN  CHILDHOOD  AND  YOUTH. 

The  diet  in  childhood  and  youth  should  be  wise 
and  judicious,  for  this  is  the  period  of  growth  and  the 
formation  of  habits  which  will  continue,  perhaps, 
through  life.  Indigestible  foods  should  be  avoided. 
Underfeeding  and  improper  feeding  may  stunt  the 
growth  of  the  body  permanently  during  this  age, 
and  over-feeding,  especially  if  stimulating  foods  be 
given,  may  render  its  growth  excessive  but  un- 
natural. There  should  be  an  abundance  of  good 
breads  of  all  sorts  and  rightly  made,  milk  and  fruit, 
and  such  vegetables  as  are  suitable,  farinaceous 
articles  of  every  sort,  including  oatmeal,  wheaten 
preparations,  rice,  sugar  in  suitable  quantities  and 
eggs  to  a  moderate  extent.  The  drink  should  be 
pure  water  or  milk,  and  if  any  other  drink  is  added 


DIET  FOR  THE  BRAIN-WORKER.  147 

it  should  be  cocoa  instead  of  tea  or  coffee.  The  latter 
have  no  nourishment,  and  act  too  strongly  on  the 
sensitive  nervous  system  of  the  child,  laying  the 
foundation  of  future  nervous  disorders.  Pies,  cakes 
and  puddings  are  all  allowable  on  condition  that 
they  be  plainly  made,  otherwise  not.  Many  of  the 
disorders  of  youth  arise  from  imperfectly  pre- 
pared food. 

DIET  FOR  WORKING  MEN. 

The  diet  for  working  men  has  been  so  fully  dis- 
cussed elsewhere  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  enlarge 
or  repeat  here. 

DIET  FOR  THE  BP.AIN-WORKER. 

This  need  not  differ  from  that  of  the  well-fed 
working  man,  except  in  this,  that  his  powers  of  di- 
gestion are  somewhat  less,  and,  consequently,  he 
needs  food  rather  more  easy  of  digestion.  If  the 
brain-worker,  however,  would  keep  up  his  physical 
powers  by  taking  abundance  of  exercise  and  air  he 
would  not  suffer  in  this  respect.  For  perfect  work 
the  brain  should  be  well  nourished,  and  each  one 
will  study  the  subject  from  the  standpoint  of  experi- 
ence and  knowledge  and  act  accordingly. 

The  theory  has  been  advanced  that  brain-workers 
need  more  phosphorus  than  any  other  class  of  men, 
but  there  is  no  evidence  as  yet  to  justify  this  con- 
clusion. "Without  phosphorus  no  thought,"  says 
one  of  our  German  scientists.  He  could  with  equal 
truthfulness  have  said,  without  water  no  thought ; 
without  air  no  thought;  without  many  other  things, 
no  thought.     So  far  as  is  known,  the  lion,  the  tiger. 


148  FOOD  FOE  DIFFEEENT   CONDITIONS. 

the  dog  and  cat  consume  and  excrete  as  much  phos- 
phorus as  man,  while  the  beaver,  a  most  thoughtful 
animal,  excretes,  so  far  as  has  been  ascertained, 
none.  Man,  however,  requires  phosphorus,  and  it  is 
abundantly  supplied  in  a  well-selected  diet. 

DIET  IN  OLD  AGE. 

The  old  and  infirm  should  live  more  like  young 
children  than  adults.     Milk,  fruits,  and  especially 
their  juices,  and  breads  constitute  the  bases  of  a 
good  diet  for  the  aged.     They  need  less  than  the 
young  or  those  doing  heavy  work ;  they  should  be- 
ware of  indigestible  foods  or  of  excess.      Even  after 
fifty  years  of  age  there  should,  in  most  cases,  be  a 
gradual  lessening  of  the  amount  of  food  consumed. 
Excessive  eating  in  old  age  keeps  up  too  great  a 
pressure  on  the  enfeebled  heart  and  weakened  ves- 
sels and  renders  them  liable  to  break,  causing  apo- 
plexy, with  its  accompanying  evils.      It  has  been 
suggested  that  life  may  be  prolonged  many  years 
by  avoiding  foods  rich  in  mineral  matter,  and  by 
the  employment  of  acid  drinks,  especially  lemonade, 
to  dissolve  and  cleanse  the  blood  and  tissues  of  their 
broken-down  debris.     One   old   man  whom  I  well 
knew  always  kept  a  plate  of  grapes  on  his  center- 
table,   and  occasionally  ate  a  few  of  them  as  he 
felt  thirsty.     The  juice  furnished  a  pure,   slightly 
nourishing  fluid,  and  he  thought  he  was  benefited 
thereby.     He  certainly  lived  to  be  nearly  one  hun- 
dred years  old,  and  enjoyed  for  one  of  that  age  most 
remarkable  health.     Not  every  one  can  have  fine 
grapes  at  all  seasons,  but  all  can  have  some  kind  of 
fruit-juice  drink  equally  good. 


DIET  FOR  TRAINING.  149 

The  bread  of  the  old  should  usually  be  made  from 
unbolted  flour,  and  hot  bread  and  biscuits  never 
used.  This  kind  of  bread  keeps  the  bowels  open 
without  the  use  of  purgatives,  which  is  very  im- 
portant. The  frequent  use  of  purgatives  is  one  of 
the  habits  of  our  time  that  cannot  be  too  vigorously 
condemned,  especially  when  better  effects  can  be 
secured  by  dietetic  measures. 

DIET  FOR  TRAINING. 

Trainers  of  men  for  boat  racing  or  other  athletic 
sports  give  more  thought  to  the  diet  of  men  under 
their  care  than  those  at  the  head  of  our  institutions 
of  learning  do  to  pupils  seeking  an  education.  Why 
is  this  ?  It  is  because  they  wish  to  get  the  most 
that  is  possible  out  of  their  bodies,  to  render  them 
capable  of  working  for  all  they  are  worth.  If  to 
compete  in  mere  physical  sports  and  contests  it  is 
worth  while  to  take  such  care  to  preserve  the 
health  and  choose  the  diet  of  able-bodied  young 
men,  how  much  more  ought  all  to  do  it  in  order  to 
fit  themselves  for  the  labor  and  struggle  of  daily 
life ;  how  many  thousands  upon  thousands  fail  and 
drop  out  of  the  race  because  they  do  not  do  this. 

Some  years  ago  I  investigated  the  question  of  the 
diet  of  the  students  of  Yale  College,  and  found  in  a 
majority  of  cases  it  was  exceedingly  imperfect.  No 
attention  was  given  to  the  matter  by  a  majority  of 
them.  They  lived  in  boarding-houses  and  in  other 
ways,  and  took  what  they  could  get.  While  they 
did  not  starve,  yet  compared  with  a  young  man 
training  for  a  boat  race  their  bill  of  fare  was  quite 
defective.      Suppose  at  all  college  and  university 


150  FOOD  FOR  DIFFERENT  CONDITIONS. 

towns  the  president  and  professors,  or  some  one 
quite  competent,  were  to  arrange  a  practical,  scien- 
tific diet  and  educate  the  caterers  up  to  feeding  the 
pupils  as  perfectly  as  present  knowledge  on  this 
subject  will  permit,  would  not  our  progress  be  more 
rapid  ?    I  am  sure  the  expense  would  be  no  greater. 

A  great  change  has  taken  place  in  the  rules  of  diet 
for  men  undergoing  training  within  late  years.  Com- 
paring what  we  now  have  with  what  was  once 
thought  essential,  and,  indeed,  indispensable,  we  see 
that  the  improved  views  which  actual  trials  have 
brought  to  trainers  are  in  the  direction  of  a  greater 
naturalness.  For  instance,  beef,  in  large  amounts, 
and  almost  raw,  called  '^  red  rags,"  was  formerly  the 
diet  at  all  meals,  and  scarcely  anything  else,  and 
was  dreaded  by  the  men  undergoing  training  more 
than  any  other  feature  in  their  preparatory  work, 
even  than  the  contest  itself,  pugilistic  or  athletic. 
Perhaps  this  was  the  source  of  a  view,  wide-spread 
still  through  many  strata  of  society,  that  one  must 
eat  meat  to  ''give  him  strength,"  and  that  the  more 
one  eats  the  more  strength  it  would  be  sure  to  give 
him.  The  following  points  were  obtained  from  a 
man  who  was  in  his  younger  years  a  pugilist,  and 
afterward  for  many  years  a  professional  trainer. 
All  are  arrived  at  by  the  closest  sort  of  trial,  and 
that  by  men  without  a  theory  as  such,  book-learn- 
ing, or  any  sort  of  medical  knowledge.  I  repeat 
them  in  the  same  axiomatic  way  in  which  these  men 
speak  their  knowledge,  whose  authority  is  solely 
that  ''they  have  tried  it,  and  it  is  so." 

"  No  one  should  eat  meat  at  breakfast  while  in 
training.  A  small  piece  of  fish  will  do ;  half  a 
baked  potato,  well-cooked  oatmeal,  mush  and  milk. 


DIET  IN  TRAINING.  151 

and  fruit ;  neither  coffee  nor  tea.  Breakfast  must 
always  be  a  comparatively  light  meal.  One  is  to  rise 
from  table,  always,  with  a  not  fully  satisfied  appe- 
tite. Over-eating  in  the  morning,  and  then  going 
an  unusual  time  without  food,  is  bad.  The  break- 
fast must  be  light,  and  food  follows  work,  not  pre- 
cedes it,  in  amount  at  least.  If  a  man  has  over- 
eaten, he  had  best  eat  again  at  the  accustomed 
times,  only  very  sparingly.  Meanwhile,  until  his 
body  is  free  of  the  surplus  food  he  is  carrying,  let 
him  go  out  of  doors  and  stay,  and  keep  up  a  fair 
amount  of  motion,  walking  leisurely  about  the 
fields,  and  drinking  hot  water  when  so  inclined.  He 
can  then  go  on  in  his  training  the  following  day. 
No  gain  can  be  made  while  the  stomach  or  blood  is 
overloaded.  Supper  must  also  be  a  light  meal,  with- 
out cake  or  sweetmeats.  Tea  is  allowable  at  supper, 
if  made  very  weak.  That,  with  a  very  little  cold 
meat,  a  piece  of  toast,  and  cooked  fruit,  are  enough. 
Sugar  beyond  moderate  amounts  is  a  direct  detractor 
from  strength  ;  a  pure  state  of  the  constitution  can- 
not be  attained  while  it  is  indulged  in  freely. 
Meat  must  be  cooked  done,  but  only  in  certain  ways, 
so  as  to  be  still  juicy  and  red  in  color.  Rare  roast, 
or  broiled  in  thick  slices,  is  best.  It  is  to  be  eaten 
with  the  second  meal  of  the  day,  for  then  the  body 
is  best  able  to  digest  and  dispose  of  it ;  that  is,  after 
vigorous,  protracted  exercise,  and  before  any  con- 
siderable degree  of  fatigue  is  felt. 

''  Bread  must  be  coarse.  Trainers  commonly  cook 
bread  for  their  men  themselves,  using  of  good  wheat 
meal  two-thirds,  fresh  corn  meal  one-third,  and  add- 
ing English  currants.  It  is  to  be  thoroughly  chewed, 
and  not  eaten  in  excess.     It  is  a  good  thing  to  drink 


152  FOOD  FOR  DIFFERENT  CONDITIONS. 

freely  of  hot  water  an  hour  before  breakfast,  and 
then  to  take  a  walk.  It  should  be  sipped  slowly, 
spending  twenty-five  minutes  on  a  couple  of  tum- 
blersful. 

*' When  it  is  necessary  to  empty  the  bowels  at  the 
beginning  of  a  course  of  training,  barley,  boiled  in 
water  a  short  time  till  softened,  and  eaten  or  swal- 
lowed in  some  quantity,  will  give  the  bowels  some- 
thing to  handle  which  will  not  compact  into  lumps, 
and  which  will  sweep  out  mucus  that  may  be  pres- 
ent, but  without  causing  the  least  irritation. 

*'  A  shower  bath  is  the  best  of  all  morning  tonics. 
Very  vigorous  rubbing  should  immediately  succeed 
— first  with  towels,  then  with  the  palms  of  the 
hands — till  the  flesh  is  perfectly  soft  and  pink.  The 
strokes  of  both  towels  and  hands  should  be  down- 
ward. Rubbing  the  flesh  under  a  spray  of  cold 
water  will  give  it  firmness  and  insensibility  to  blows 
more  rapidly  than  any  of  the  astringent  lotions  some- 
times used. 

*'No  alcohol,  no  beer,  and  especially  no  tobacco, 
are  allowable.  These  are  absolutely  laid  aside  when 
training  begins  ;  the  same  with  coffee.  When  a  man 
is  brought  to  a  'pure'  condition,  his  urine  has  no 
odor,  and  is  very  light  colored  and  clear.  The  sweat 
has  a  fragrant  sraell,  'something  like  cologne.'     If 

* 

a  glass  of  ale  or  spirits  be  taken  surreptitiously,  a 
trainer  will  know  of  it  on  the  following  day  from 
finding  that  his  man  is  not  as  quick  and  true  in  his 
movements  as  he  should  be,  his  eye  is  not  quite 
right  or  accurate,  and  when  he  strips  his  shirt  off  to 
be  rubbed,  after  his  morning's  work,  the  odor  is 
'not  like  cologne,  but  bad.'  An  astonishing  amount 
of  bruise,  so  long  as  the  skin  is  not  broken,  will  be 


DIET  IN  TRjSWWef^'^  153 


absorbed  and  become  invisible  when  a  man  is  really 
in  **pure"  condition.  Illustrations  were  given  by 
my  informant  from  incidents  in  the  professional 
career  of  Paddy  Ryan  and  other  pugilists.  This  ab- 
sorption of  a  black  and  blue  spot  will  take  place 
very  rapidly ;  perhaps  twenty-four  hours  or  a  night's 
sleep  will  remove  all  signs  of  recent  contusions, 

**The  development  and  the  physical  habits  of  a 
young  man  are  formed  before  the  age  of  twenty-five 
years  is  reached,  as  they  can  scarcely  be  after  that 
age ;  that  is,  the  best  chance  to  get  a  well-balanced 
constitution  comes  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and 
twenty-five  years. 

**A  man  who  has  followed  a  trade,  as  a  plasterer  or 
an  iron-worker — an  active  and  care-taking  trade, 
where  all  the  muscles  of  the  body  are  brought  into 
play,  instead  of  a  single  group — that  man,  if  he  go 
into  training,  will  be  a  far  better  man  to  obey  orders 
and  regulations  than  a  man  who  has  had  to  use  in 
his  business  only  a  few  of  his  muscles.  An  over- 
head plasterer,  who  bends  backward  as  much  as  for- 
ward, and  pushes  as  well  as  lifts,  is  a  good  example. 
Moreover,  flexors  and  extensors  should  be  of  equal 
development  for  another  reason.  If  the  flexor  is  the 
stronger,  it  acts  as  a  strong  elastic  might,  being  not 
entirely  under  the  control  of  the  will,  while  the 
weaker  opposed  extensor  is  more  or  less  of  a  lost 
power.  Make  the  latter  as  large  and  strong  as  its 
opposed  muscle,  and  the  man's  movements  will  at 
once  become  lighter  and  truer. 

'*0f  my  eight  children,  four  that  were  raised 
while  I  was  at  home  with  them,  and  could  enforce 
their  having  an  oatmeal-and-milk  breakfast  and  a 
light   supper,   grew  up  strong,  and  are  alive  now; 


154  FOOD  FOR  DIFFERENT   CONDITIONS. 

the  other  four  had  much  their  own  way  about 
food,  with  only  their  mother  at  home,  and  they  all 
died  about  the  time  they  reached  puberty." 

No  efforts,  so  far  as  I  know,  have  been  made  to 
arrange  a  fleshless  diet  for  men  .under  training; 
and  so  long  as  the  general  feeling  of  the  necessity 
of  flesh  for  athletes  continues  it  will  be  useless, 
but  that  less  and  less  is  being  used  is  evidence  of 
a  tendency  this  way.  In  England,  not  long  ago, 
a  trial  was  made  between  a  trained  bicycle  rider 
and  an  amateur,  the  former  living  on  a  mixed  diet 
and  the  latter  on  a  fleshless  one,  of  a  fifty  mile  race, 
and  there  was  practically  no  difference  in  the  time 
they  made.  A  few  more  such  tests  would  call  atten- 
tion to  the  subject  sufficiently  to  make  a  thorough 
trial  practicable.  That  it  would  demonstrate  that 
man's  strength  can  be  maintained  without  the  use 
of  flesh  I  have  no  doubt.  There  was  a  time  when 
it  was  believed  that  alcoholic  drinks  were  necessary 
to  maintain  strength.  That  day  has  gone  forever. 
I  think  we  may  predict  the  same  result  concerning 
the  need  of  a  flesh  diet  to  maintain  physical 
strength.  There  are  too  many  examples  of  vege- 
tarian endurance  and  great  working  power  to  make 
any  other  result  possible. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 
IN  DYSPEPSIA. 

There  are  so  many  forms  of  dyspepsia  that  it  would 
be  quite  impossible  to  designate,  without  a  knowl- 
edge of  each  case,  the  foods  most  suitable;  but 
most  sufferers  from  this  disease  may  be  cured  by 
first  avoiding  its  causes,  to  wit :  rapid  eating  with- 
out thorough  mastication,  and  excessive  work  with 
muscles  and  brain. 

In  most  cases  the  sufferer  may  take  more  or  less 
of  the  following  articles,  omitting  any  found  to 
disagree : 

Thin  vegetable  soups,  properly  made,  raw  oysters 
and  clams ;  poached  or  soft  boiled  eggs ; 

Good  brown  bread  and  gems,  made  light,  corn 
bread,  boiled  rice,  rice  cakes,  stale  bread  and  butter, 
macaroni,  sago,  tapioca,  Graham  crackers,  oatmeal 
and  barley  gruel ; 

Green  vegetables,  such  as  turnip  tops,  spinach, 
cresses,  salads,  celery,  sorrel,  lettuce,  string  beans 
in  moderation,  dandelion,  asparagus,  oranges,  ripe 
peaches  and  pears,  roasted  apples,  thoroughly  cooked 
dried  fruits  and  grapes  freely. 

Hot  water  abudantly,  an  hour  before  meals  and 
soon  after  in  small  quantities,  koumiss,  buttermilk, 
milk  and  lime  water,   lemonade,   milk  and  Vichy 

(155) 


156  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

water  are  generally  useful.      Hot  water  stimulates 
the  stomach,  and  has  cured  many  dyspeptics. 

In  most  cases,  however,  a  simple  diet  made  of 
brown  bread,  fruit  and  milk  as  a  staple,  and  such 
other  articles  as  will  give  variety  and  change 
are  best.  The  dyspeptic  should  be  cheerful  at  his 
meals ;  tell  stories  and  hear  them ;  eat  leisurely  and 
masticate  his  food  thoroughly;  after  it  is  in  his 
stomach  he  should  forget  that  he  has  eaten,  and 
never  think  of  it  again,  if  he  can  help  it.  He  had 
better  avoid  rich  soups,  all  fried  foods,  veal,  pork, 
hashes,  stews,  turkey,  all  rich  gravies,  made  dishes, 
sauces,  desserts,  rich  pies,  pastries,  puddings  ;  crude, 
coarse  vegetables ;  wines,  malt  liquors  and  cordials. 

In  acid  dyspepsia,  a  most  frequent  and  persistent 
form  of  the  disease,  the  peptic  glands  secrete  a  far 
too  acid  gastric  juice.  The  general  opinion  that 
this  acid  is  the  result  of  the  souring  of  the  food  is, 
in  my  opinion,  erroneous.  The  sour  eructations  ap- 
pear too  soon  after  eating  to  admit  of  such  a  source. 
The  usual  remedy,  viz.:  bicarbonate  of  soda, 
while  it  gives  temporary  relief,  never  cures  the 
patient;  and  if  its  use  be  continued  for  a  long 
time  the  effects  on  the  constitution  are  positively 
bad.  In  the  first  place,  the  blood  is  rendered  more 
alkaline  than  is  normal,  and  this  too  alkaline  blood 
circulating  along  the  track  of  the  vessels  for 
a  long  time  tends  to  weaken  them.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  using  an  alkali,  the  true  remedy  is  to 
masticate  the  food  for  a  long  time,  so  as  to  mix  with 
it  a  large  amount  of  saliva,  which  is  alkaline  in  its 
nature  and  helps  to  neutralize  the  excessive  acid  of 
the  gastric  juice.  Being  a  natural  remedy  it  does 
not  produce  any  injurious  effects.     If  this  be  not 


IN  FEVERS.  157 

sufficient,  a  still  larger  quantity  of  saliva  may  be 
produced  and  swallowed  by  chewing,  after  each 
meal,  some  simple  lozenge  or  gum.  Any  sufferer 
who  will  thoroughly  practice  this  will  be  enabled  to 
relieve  himself  from  his  sufferings. 

In  acid  dyspepsia  it  is  important  that  the  bread 
be  thoroughly  baked.  I  have  known  some  patients 
who  could  only  eat  bread  twice  baked,  so  as  to 
brown  each  slice  a  little.  This  browning  partially 
converts  the  starch  into  dextrine,  which  is  easily 
digested.  The  German  ziueiback  is  a  good  example 
of  a  twice  baked  bread;  granula  is  another;  still 
another  is  grq/io, the  principal  food  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Azores.  The  grain  is  niecly  roasted,  but  so 
as  to  be  only  slightly  browned,  and  then  ground 
into  a  fine  flour.  It  may  be  eaten  in  milk  or  water. 
Wheat  and  corn  in  equal  proportions  make  the  best. 
Dr.  C.  F.  Taylor  speaks  of  this  food  enthusiastically, 
and  mentions  the  fact  that  it  proved  a  cure  for  his 
own  previously  obstinate  acid  dyspepsia.  The  in- 
habitants, who  live  mainly  on  gofio  are  exceed- 
ingly well  developed  physically,  and  capable  of 
doing  hard  work. 

IN   FEVERS. 

In  fevers  it  is  important  to  nourish  the  patient 
wisely  and  carefully.  He  may  generally  take  In- 
dian gruel,  Graham  flour  gruel,  oatmeal  and  barley 
flour  gruel,  baked  milk  toast,  flaxseed  tea  and  rice 
and  milk. 

In  typhoid  fever,  milk  and  koumyss  may  consti- 
tute the  principal  foods.  The  juices  of  fruits,  es- 
pecially grapes,  peaches,  oranges  and  lemons  are 
generally  admissable.    Sometimes  there  is  a  crav- 


158  '    FOOD   IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

ing  for  some  particular  food,  in  which  case  it  is  gen- 
erally best  to  allow  it.  I  once  had  a  patient  very  ill 
with  fever,  who  begged  for  lettuce  and  vinegar,  and 
would  take  nothing  else  until  I  had  given  him  that 
which  was  desired ;  it  was  relished  and  did  him 
good. 

The  drinks  in  fever  should  be  pure  soft  water  in 
abundance,  rice  water,  currant  jelly  water,  lemon- 
ade, gum  arable  water,  orange  juice  and  koumyss. 
Milk,  plain  or  peptonized,  guarded  with  lime  water, 
may  be  used  to  great  advantage  when  pure  milk 
disagrees.  Drinks  made  from  the  juices  of  fruits  in 
their  season  may  be  used  as  the  taste  and  condition 
of  the  patient  demand. 

■       DIET  IN  CONSTIPATION. 

Constipation  may  almost  always  be  cured  by  the 
use  of  brown  bread — not  taken  occasionally,  but 
regularly — and  fruit,  together  with  such  other  arti- 
cles as  are  digestible  and  nutritious. 

All  fresh  vegetables,  vegetables  with  salad  oil, 
boiled  spinach  and  boiled  dandelion  are  appropriate. 

Stewed  prunes,  stewed  figs,  tamarinds,  baked  sour 
apples,  dried  fruits,  such  as  apples,  peaches  and 
pears  ;  melons,  grapes — in  short,  fruits,  generally. 
Oranges  on  rising  in  the  morning  are  excellent. 

Drink  pure  soft  water  abundantly,  and  especially 
before  meals ;  a  glass  of  hot  water  an  hour  before 
meals  will  be  useful;  new  eggs,  buttermilk  and 
lemonade  are  not  objectionable,  only  never  overload 
the  stomach  with  them. 

Avoid  salt  or  smoked  fish  or  meat,  peas,  beans, 
pickles,  pastry,  tea,  alcoholic  drinks  and  cheese. 

See  under  the  head  of  *^Rye,"  a  method  of  treat- 
ing obstinate  cases. 


IN  BRIGHT's  disease — RHEUMATISM.  159 


IN   BRIGHT's  DISEASE. 


In  this  disease  a  plain,  nutritious  vegetable  diet, 
including  milk,  is  preferable.  Raw  oysters  and 
clams  may  be  used.  Good  brown  bread  and  all 
farinaceous  articles,  well  cooked,  may  be  used  in 
moderation  in  their  turn,  including,  of  course,  rice, 
hominy,  v/heaten  grits,  toast,  oatmeal  and  gruels. 

Of  vegetables,  use  in  their  season  spinach,  celery, 
water  cress  and  lettuce. 

Of  drinks,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  have 
pure  soft  water-^distilled  water  would  be  preferable. 
Fresh  milk  should  be  used.  I  have  known  a  patient 
almost  beyond  hope  with  Bright's  disease  appar- 
ently recover  on  a  diet  of  bread  and  milk,  with  a 
little  fruit,  and  another  on  a  diet  of  new  milk  alone. 
Such  a  diet  relieves  the  kidneys  of  much  of  their 
labor,  and  gives  nature  an  opportunity  to  repair  any 
injury  of  these  organs.  More  can  be  done  to  cure 
this  disease  by  diet  and  hygiene  than  by  drugs. 

Let  the  patient  avoid  pastry  and  every  form  of 
food  not  easily  digestible.  If  flesh  is  used  it  should 
be  only  in  the  greatest  moderation. 

CHRONIC  RHEITMATISM. 

In  chronic  or  semi-acute  rheumatism  depend  on 
a  vegetable  diet,  especially  brown  bread,  spinach, 
celery,  salads,  cresses  and  all  sorts  of  acid  fruits. 

Drink  pure  soft  water,  hot  or  cold,  in  abundance. 

Avoid  fried  fish,  cooked  oysters  and  clams,  pork, 
veal,  turkey,  potatoes ;  all  gravies  and  made  dishes 
and  fried  dishes ;  excess  of  nitrogenous  food ;  beer 
and  all  malt  liquors,  wines,  etc. 

In  rheumatism,  a  vegetarian  diet  will,  in  most 


160  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

cases,  give  great  relief,  and  other  hygienic  measures 
will  complete  the  cure,  where  a  cure  is  possible.  A 
most  persistent  case  of  semi-acute  rheumatism, 
which  had  defied  medical  skill  and  Turkish  baths 
combined,  coming  under  my  care  as  a  last  resource, 
has  been  entirely  cured  by  diet,  with  one  bath  each 
week.  The  bill  of  fare  prescribed  was  :  For  break- 
fast— oatmeal  porridge,  whole  meal  bread  and  butter, 
fruit,  cocoa  or  weak  tea ;  for  dinner — whole  meal 
bread  and  butter,  fruit  and  vegetables,  especially  rice 
in  every  form,  and  baked  potatoes;  for  supper — 
whole  meal  bread,  butter  and  tea,  and  fruit  if  de- 
sired. Flesh  was  forbidden,  also  all  spirituous 
drinks.  A  sun  bath,  with  massage  and  the  rubbing 
of  oil  on  the  affected  parts,  was  advised  daily,  and 
a  Turkish  bath  weekly.  Of  course  exposure  to  cold 
and  damp  were  to  be  avoided,  and  medicines  given 
up.  Treatment  was  to  be  continued  six  months  at 
least.  In  that  time  the  patient  became  well  and 
strong.  A  very  large  proportion  of  sufferers  from 
rheumatism  may  cure  themselves  by  the  same  or 
similar  means.  It  only  requires  perseverance  and 
good  hygienic  conditions.  It  is  essential  to  have 
the  best  of  whole  meal  bread.  Thorough  mastica- 
tion is  also  essential.  Over  eating  must  be  avoided. 
Gentle  exercise  is  desirable. 

DIET  IN  CORPULENCE. 

In  corpulence  exercise  is  of  the  utmost  importance, 
and  especially  exercises  that  bring  air  into  the 
lungs  to  burn  up  the  excess  of  fat.  Vegetables 
and  farinaceous  foods  are  preferable.  Moderation 
is  advised,  but  very  rarely  practiced  by  the  patient. 
Brown  bread  is  always  to  be  eaten.    Baked  or  boiled 


IN  GOUT — DIABETES.  161 

potatoes,  peas,  beans,  asparagus,  cauliflower,  celery, 
cresses,  spinach,  cabbage,  onions,  tomatoes,  lettuce, 
radishes,  squash,  turnips,  grapes,  oranges,  cherries 
and  acid  fruits  may  be  used  freely.  The  grape  cure, 
previously  mentioned,  will  prove  useful. 

Pure  soft  water  should  be  taken  freely ;  indeed,  it 
had  better  be  the  only  drink. 

IN   GOUT. 

In  gout  use  about  the  same  food  as  in  rheumatism. 
Eat  sparingly  and  exercise  as  much  as  possible  in 
order  to  promote  excretion.  Live  on  ten  cents  a 
day  and  earn  it. 

DIABETES. 

In  diabetes  use  as  the  only  bread,  gluten  bread,  so 
excellently  made  now  by  many  health  food  com- 
panies, eggs  and  butter;  green  vegetables,  such  as 
summer  cabbage,  turnip  tops,  spinach,  water  cresses, 
mustard,  sauerkraut,  lettuce,  sorrel,  mushrooms, 
celery,  string  beans,  dandelion,  cold  slaw,  Brussels 
sprouts,  cucumbers,  asparagus,  truffles,  radishes, 
onions,  olives  and  olive  oil,  eggs,  etc. 

Drink  pure  soft  water,  koumyss,  buttermilk  and 
acid  fruit  juices. 

Avoid  sweet  milk,  liver,  ordinary  bread,  toast; 
farinaceous  vegetables,  such  as  potatoes,  rice,  oat- 
meal, corn  meal,  sago,  tapioca,  arrowroot,  etc. ; 
saccharine  vegetables,  such  as  turnips,  parsnips, 
carrots,  green  peas,  French  beans,  beet  root,  toma- 
toes; sweet  fruits  of  all  kinds;  all  preserves,  syrups, 
sugars,  cocoa,  chocolate,  cordials,  sweet  wines ;  al- 
pastry,  puddings,  ice  cream  and  honey. 


162  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

A  flesii  diet  is  generally  advised  in  diabetes,  but 
according  to  Dr.  Hofmeister,  an  exclusive  meat  diet 
in  this  disease  is  dangerous.  Diabetics  ought  to 
conscienciously  masticate  every  mouthful  of  food, 
so  as  to  mix  it  well  v^ith  saliva  to  make  its  diges- 
tion perfect. 

IN  DIARRHEA  AND   SUMMER   COMPLAINTS. 

In  these  diseases  gruels  made  from  baked  flour 
will  be  useful.  Boiled  milk  is  also  often  suitable. 
I  have  found  that  blackberries  stewed  with  sugar 
and  water,  the  juice  poured  off  and  taken  freely  is 
a  sovereign  cure  for  diarrhea.  Sometimes  the  juice 
of  peaches  and  strawberries. or  any  acid  dried  fruit 
will  answer  the  same  purpose  if  the  blackberry  can- 
not be  obtained.  I  advise  that  blackberries  be  dried 
and  kept  for  emergencies  of  this  kind.  Pure  water 
should  be  provided;  and  if  the  water  be  not  pure 
it  should  be  boiled  or  distilled.  Rusks  made  from 
twice  baked  bread  are  excellent ;  they  may  be  taken 
with  fresh  milk. 

In  diarrhea  avoid  all  crude,  indigestible  food,  and 
all  hard  or  tainted  water. 

IN  CONSUMPTION. 

In  consumption,  the  diet  should  be  nutritious  and 
easily  digested.  Raw  oysters,  clams,  new  milk, 
cream,  eggs,  butter,  olive  oil,  the  best  of  brown 
bread  from  good  wheat  (that  from  which  the  exter- 
nal cuticle  has  been  removed  being  preferred),  corn 
bread,  rye  bread  and  rice ;  spinach,  asparagus,  let- 
tuce, cresses,  celery,  tomatoes  and  greens ;  fruits,  if 


IN  NERVOUS  DISEASES.  163 

they  agree,  and  baked  potatoes  may  be  taken  as 
they  are  found  adapted  to  the  case. 

For  drinks — hot  water,  Vichy,  pure,  soft,  spring 
water,  fresh  milk  just  from  a  healthy  cow, 
goat's  milk  if  the  stomach  bears  it  well,  and  cocoa 
rather  than  tea  or  coffee. 

In  this  dreadful  disease  the  nutritive  organs  are 
generally  weak  and  assimilation  is  poor,  so  every- 
thing that  can  be  done  to  keep  them  strong  should 
be  done.  The  fact  that  air  is  a  food  should  never 
be  lost  sight  of  in  the  treatment  of  this  disease,  and 
every  effort  should  be  made  to  get  as  much  of  it 
into  the  lungs  as  possible.  This  is  best  accomplished 
by  a  life  in  the  open  air,  by  horseback  riding,  by 
rowing,  and  by  such  gymnastic  exercises  for  the 
chest  as  will  expand  and  enlarge  it.  When  the 
season  will  permit  it,  the  consumptive  may  even 
sleep  out  of  doors,  in  tents  or  protected  places  to 
advantage.  I  know  a  lady  given  over  to  incurable 
lung  disease,  who  for  several  years  has  slept  in  a 
good  hammock  in  the  veranda  of  her  summer  home 
during  several  months  each  season,  to  manifest  ad- 
vantage to  her  health,  the  object  being  to  secure  an 
abundance  of  pure  fresh  air. 

Avoid  all  indigestible  food,  including  pastry,  hot 
bread,  etc. 

DIET   IN  NERVOUS   DISEASES. 

In  nervous  diseases  the  patient  may  choose  from 
a  large  variety  of  foods  to  suit  any  notion  or  fancy 
that  takes  possession  of  his  mind.  In  most  cases  it 
is  preferable  for  the  nervous  invalid  to  confine  him- 
self to  a  wisely-chosen  vegetable  diet ;  good  brown 


164  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

bread,  milk,  cream,  butter,  eggs,  oatmeal,  salads 
and  fruits  will  constitute  the  principal  articles.  Of 
vegetables,  baked  potatoes,  sweet  potatoes,  cresses, 
lettuce  and  celery  will  all  be  useful. 

Drinks  may  be  chosen  from  pure  soft  water  in 
abundance,  either  hot  or  cold,  cocoa,  milk  and  the 
juice  of  fruits,  especially  orange  and  lemonade. 

DIET  IN  CANCER. 

Cancer  is  a  disease  more  frequent  among  those 
who  live  high  than  among  those  who  live  low,  and 
it  is  comparatively  rare  among  those  whose  food  is 
mainly  drawn  from  the  vegetable  kingdom.  Several 
cases  of  its  cure  have  been  recorded  by  adopting  an 
abstemious  vegetable  diet,  mainly  one  of  fruit  and 
bread,  with  a  little  milk  or  cream.  This  seems  rea- 
sonable, at  least,  especially  in  the  early  stages  of 
the  malady ;  at  any  rate,  the  experiment  is  well 
worth  trying,  particularly  in  connection  with  other 
hygienic  conditions,  which  cannot  be  mentioned 
here. 

ULCERATION  OF   THE   STOMACH. 

This  rare  disease  requires  the  greatest  care  in 
diet.  Milk,  either  with  or  without  lime  water? 
comes  nearest  to  the  requirements  of  any  food. 
It  is  bland  and  unirritating,  which  is  important. 
But  little  should  be  taken  at  a  time — a  teaspoonful, 
or  even  less,  is  enough  at  first.  This  may  be  re- 
peated in  an  hour,  and  so  on  through  the  day.  In 
increasing  the  amount  use  the  greatest  care,  so  as 
not  to  bring  on  a  relapse.  Of  course  such  a  meagre 
diet  will  not  support  the  patient  perfectly ;  but  if  he 


FOR  THE  THIN — MARASMUS.  165 

avoids  all  expenditure  of  strength  so  far  as  possible, 
it  will  keep  him  from  starvation  until  nature  heals 
the  ulcer,  which  will  not  take  very  long.  Some  of 
the  worst  cases  have  been  cured  by  this  diet. 

MARASMUS. 

Marasmus  and  wasting  diseases  I  have  found,  es- 
pecially in  the  young,  if  over  two  years  of  age,  best 
overcome  by  the  use  of  whole  meal  gems  and  new 
milk  and  the  juices  of  stewed  fruits,  especially  the 
juice  of  stewed  dried  apples  cooked  with  some  sugar. 
At  first  the  bread  may  be  soaked  in  the  milk;  much 
of  its  valuable  salts  and  other  soluble  matter  will  in 
a  little  time  be  dissolved.  Such  cases  usually  need 
oil,  and  it  is  best  applied  hot  on  the  skin  in  the  form 
of  an  oil  bath.  It  is  wonderful  how  much  will  be 
absorbed  by  a  starving  child's  skin  in  a  day.  I  have 
treated  a  few  of  the  most  hopeless  cases  in  this  way 
with  most  excellent  results.  It  requires  the  aid, 
however,  of  the  most  faithful  mother  or  nurse,  will- 
ing to  co-operate  with  the  physician,  to  produce  the 
best  effects.  The  general  feeling  that  such  sufferers 
require  raw  meat  has  demoralized  people  so  much 
that  not  everv  mother  will  trust  to  such  treatment 
until  all  others  have  failed. 

DIET   FOR  THE   THIN. 

Some  people  are  constitutionally  inclined  to  be 
thin,  as  others  are  to  be  fat,  and  it  is  almost  im. 
possible  to  change  their  nature.  I  remember  once 
owning  a  horse  that  would  not  take  on  flesh.  He 
was  very  high  spirited,  always  uneasy  and  inclined 
to  go.      His  nervous  system  was  excitable,  irritable. 


166  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

The  sight  of  a  whip  would  cause  him  to  spring  for- 
ward with  a  bound.  An  uncle  of  mine,  whose  horses 
were  always  fat  and  sleek,  told  me  I  must  quiet 
down  his  nervous  system  if  I  wanted  him  to  take 
on  flesh,  and  he  told  me  how  to  do  it.  Following 
his  directions  I  changed  the  slender,  excitable  creat- 
ure to  one  quite  round  and  gentle.  With  many  hu- 
man beings  there  exists  the  same  difficulty.  They 
are  lean  by  nature,  perhaps,  and  never  easy  or 
restful.  Their  nervous  systems  need  to  be  quieted 
and  calmed ;  then  they  may  increase  in  flesh.  Their 
food  should  contain  more  fat  and  starch  than  that 
for  persons  of  an  opposite  tendency.  Cream,  milk, 
sugar,  cocoa,  butter,  etc.,  may,  with  other  articles 
of  a  similar  nature,  be  used  freely,  providing  they 
agree  with  the  stomach  and  are  well  borne. 

DIET  FOR  INEBRIATES. 

The  diet  for  inebriates  is  most  difficult  to  manage, 
as  such  patients  have  perverted  their  normal  sense 
of  taste  so  that  simple,  nutritious  food  has  lost  all  its 
charms.  Something  is  demanded  which  will  make 
a  strong  impression  on  the  nerves,  as  pepper,  salt 
and  other  condiments.  So  long  as  this  perversion 
continues  a  radical  cure  is  difficult.  On  this  account 
it  is  highly  important  that  the  inebriate  and,  in 
fact,  all  who  are  addicted  to  strong  drinks,  makes 
every  effort  to  re-establish  a  natural  sense  of  taste, 
a  love  for  simple,  nutritious,  but  unstimulating 
food,  and  especially  for  the  finest  fruits  in  their 
season.  It  would  be  well  for  him  to  begin  every 
meal  with  an  orange,  or  with  some  very  fine  grapes, 
or  a  perfect  melon ;  to  abstain  from  all  spices  and 


FOOD  FOR  ORPHAN  ASYLUMS,    ETC.  167 

condiments,  except  a  little  salt,  and  to  persevere  in 
this  for  a  long  time.  I  do  not  say  that  it  will  cure 
the  confirmed  inebriate ;  but  it  will  aid  materially, 
and  many  cases  not  confirmed  may  be  prevented 
from  becoming  so.  As  I  have  said  elsewhere,  the 
sanitarian  and  the  cook  have  an  important  mission 
in  stemming  the  tide  of  intemperance;  and  they 
have  also  an  equally  important  work  in  helping  to 
cure  the  victims  of  alcohol.  The  hot  water  cure  for 
inebriates  is  to  be  recommended. 

FOOD   FOR  ORPHAN  ASYLUMS,    PRISONS,    ETC. 

Orphans  condemned  to  live  in  asylums  should  be 
fed  better  than  they  are,  and  a  rightly  constituted 
vegetable  diet  would  be  most  beneficial.  Of  course 
if  the  diet  adopted  be  not  wisely  selected  it  will  fail ; 
but  if  wisely  selected  it  will  not  fail. 

In  Mr.  Fegan's  Homes  for  Boys,  in  London,  it  was 
adopted  several  years  since  with  great  benefit,  and 
he  now  writes  concerning  it  as  follows  : 

'*I  am  often  asked  if  the  boys  in  our  Homes  are 
still  fed  on  a  '  non-flesh '  diet,  and  if  so,  how  we  find 
this  system  (for  after  three  years'  experience  it  can 
hardly  be  stillcalled  an  experiment)  to  answer.  I 
take  this  opportunity  of  explaining  that  our  boys 
have  been  living  on  a  *  Vegetarian '  dietary  since 
the  spring  of  1885,  with  great  advantage  to  their 
general  health.  Many  of  the  boys  in  our  Homes 
come  from  a  weakly  stock  ;  many  of  them  have  had 
their  constitutions  debilitated  by  neglect  and  ex- 
posure ;  yet  the  incontestable  fact  remains  that  the 
general  health  of  the  boj^s  is  not  only  better  than  in 
ordinary  families,  but  better  than  it  has  ever  been 


168  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

before  in  our  Homes.  If  our  boys,  instead  of  being 
brought  up  as  the  elder  ones  are,  in  a  densely  popu- 
lated neighborhood  like  Southwark,  were  reared  in 
the  suburbs  or  country,  I  suppose  sickness  of  any 
kind  would  hardly  ever  be  known  amongst  them. 
I  am  sure  that  our  medical  officer  will  bear  me  out 
that  the  appearance  of  the  boys  has  greatly  im- 
proved, and  that  with  a  truly  remarkable  immunity 
from  ailments  of  all  kinds  during  the  last  three 
years.  It  must  be  remembered  that  we  use  only 
whole  meal  bread,  and  that  every  meal  is  ad  lib.'' 

If  boys  are  to  be  reformed  they  must  be  well  fed, 
whether  their  food  is  mixed  or  not.  Indeed,  it  is 
a  crime  to  feed  them  on  cheap  or  insufficient  food, 
as  is  too  often  the  case.  They  should  always  have 
whole  meal  wheaten  bread,  butter,  milk,  eggs,  fruit, 
potatoes,  oatmeal,  corn  meal  and  cocoa  as  much  as 
they  require. 

PURE  FOOD. 

Pure  food  is  very  important,  and  the  consumer 
must  consider  this.  Impurities  that  pass  into  the 
blood  continue  their  course  with  the  nourishment 
to  the  very  minutest  ramifications  of  the  blood- 
vessels, and  even  into  the  so  called  cells,  cannot 
promote  nutrition,  but,  on  the  contrary,  retard  and 
prevent  it. 

Much  has  been  said  of  late  concerning  diseased 
flesh  and  milk  as  causes  of  consumption.  We  have 
yet  no  reliable  facts  as  to  whether  this  disease 
may  really  be  transferred  by  flesh  and  milk  from 
animals  to  man,  though  the  probabilities  favor  it. 
But  even  if  there  be  no  real  danger,  none  of  us  feel 


CLIMATE  AND   SEASONS.  169 

like  eating  diseased  flesh  or  milk,  even  when  well 
cooked.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  danger  from 
impure  and  diseased  food  is  greater  than  from  dis- 
eased vegetables  ;  though  in  the  latter  we  are  not 
altogether  free.  It  requires  thoughtfulness  and 
painstaking  to  always  secure  pure  food,  and  it  is 
worth  all  the  trouble  it  costs. 

CLIMATE   AND   SEASONS. 

Climate  and  seasons  have  a  marked  influence  on 
the  amount  and  kind  of  food  demanded.  In  cold 
seasons  and  regions  more  hydrocarbons  and  fats  are 
required  than  in  warm  climates  and  parts  of  the 
year.  The  extra  amount  is  needed  to  restore  the  loss 
of  animal  heat  by  exposure  to  the  cold.  To  some 
extent,  however,  we  modify  this  by  clothing,  warm 
houses,  etc.  Those  who  pay  most  attention  to  this 
subject  in  temperate  regions,  as  soon  as  the  winter 
gives  place  to  spring  demand  fresh  vegetables,  sal- 
ads and  articles  rich  in  water  and  mineral  salts,  and 
this  is  a  wise  thing  for  all.  .  To  those,  however, 
who  provide  an  abundant  supply  of  fruit  for  every 
season  of  the  year,  and  who  do  not  during  winter 
eat  heavy  meals  of  indigestible  food  there  is  less 
need  of  this  than  for  others. 

COOKERY. 

Cookery  should  be  both  a  science  and  an  art.  The 
cook  should  be  educated,  should  know  the  value  of 
all  foods,  know  how  to  combine  them  in  order  to 
procure  a  suitable  proportion  of  all  their  ingredients 
for  the  daily  needs  of  the  body,  and  how  to  pre- 
serve and  bring  out  their  best  qualities  and  proper- 


170  FOOD  IN  VARIOUS  DISEASES. 

ties.  Men  as  well  as  women  should  learn  the  art 
and  the  science  of  of  preparing  food  properly.  Wo- 
men are  more  inclined  to  take  to  the  art  side  of  the 
subject,  and  men  to  the  science  of  it.  A  combina- 
tion of  their  knowledgde  and  of  their  tastes  is  pre- 
ferable to  either  alone.  The  fundamental  principles 
of  all  cookery  should  have  their  foundations  laid 
deep  in  knowledge.  This  would  render  the  subject 
a  delight  instead  of   as  now,  a  drudgery. 


RECIPES. 


SOUPS. 

Soups  are  often  complicated  and  expensive,  requiring  much  monej, 
time,  and  attention  to  prepare  them.  Tliese  difficulties  are  avoided  ir 
the  following  recipes,  and  a  few  trials  will  enable  any  one  of  ordinary 
understanding,  who  will  follow  the  directions,  to  produce  cheap, 
wholesome,  and  agreeable  Boups,  without  shins,  knuckles,  scrags, 
bacon,  or  drippings. 

Split  Pea  Soup. — Put  one  pint  of  split  peas,  which  have  been 
previously  soaked  in  cold  water  four  hours,  into  two  quarts  of  pure 
soft  water.  Let  them  boil  for  one  hour,  then  add  one  carrot,  one  par- 
snip, one  turnip,  two  onions,  a  small  head  of  celery,  and  a  little  mint, 
all  cut  small,  and  boil  the  whole  another  hour.  Strain  the  soup  from 
the  vegetables,  and  thicken  it  with  a  little  Indian  meal,  previously 
mixed  in  cold  water ;  boil  the  whole  for  ten  minutes  more,  and  serve 
in  a  tureen  with  toasted  or  plain  wheat-meal  bread.  Mix  the  vege- 
tables well,  and  put  them  into  a  mould  or  a  basin,  and  then  into  a 
vegetable-dish,  and  serve  it  with  steamed  or  baked  potatoes.  Salt 
moderately. 

Bean  Soup. — Wash  and  pick  over  one  pint  of  white  beans  ;  steep 
them  twenty-four  hours  in  pure  soft  water,  put  them  into  a  stew-pan 
(earthen  and  enameled  is  best),  set  them  on  the  lire  in  two  quarts  of 
water,  let  them  boil  for  two  hours,  then  add  two  onions,  one  parsnip, 
one  carrot,  a  little  parsley  and  thyme  cut  small,  a  little  cold  boiled 
rice,  and  a  little  salt.  Boil  the  whole  gently  for  another  hour,  and 
serve  it  the  same  as  pea  soup.     Salt  to  taste. 

Barley  and  Bread  Soup. — Take  three  ounces  of  barley,  one  and  a 
half  ounces  of  stale  bread-crumbs,  one  and  a  half  ounces  of  butter, 
one-half  ounce  of  salt,  and  one-quarter  ounce  of  parsley.  Wash  and 
steep  tiie  barley  for  twelve  hours,  in  one-half  pint  of  water,  to  which 
a  piece  of  carbonate  of  soda,  the  size  of  a  pea,  has  been  added  ;  then 
pour  off  the  water  not  absorbed,  and  add  the  crumbs  of  stale  bread, 
three  quarts  of  boiling  water,  and  the  salt.  Digest  these  in  a  salt- 
glazed  covered  jar,  in  the  oven,  or  boil  them  slowly  in  a  well-tinned 
covered  pan,  for  from  four  to  six  hours,  adding  the  chopped  parsley, 
with  the  butter,  thirty  minutes  before  the  expiration  of  the  time  of 
boiling. 

(171) 


172  KEOIPES. 

Btiown  Soup. — One  pound  of  turnips,  one  pound  of  carrots,  lialf  a 
pound  and  six  ounces  of  onions,  one  and  a  half  pints  of  peas,  four 
oances  of  butter,  and  half  a  pound  of  bread.  Cut  the  vegetables  into 
small  pieces,  put  them  in  a  pan  with  the  butter,  cover  the  pan,  and  let 
them  stew  over  the  fire  till  brown  occasionally  stirring  them  ;  put  in 
the  peas  with  the  water  in  which  they  were  boiled  ;  add  sufficient 
boiling  water  to  make  three  quarts  altogether  ;  next  add  the  bread, 
which  should  be  browned  or  toasted  before  the  fire,  but  not  burnt ; 
season,  and  let  the  soup  boil  gently  for  three  or  four  hours  ;  rub  it 
through  a  coarse  sieve,  return  it  into  the  pan  ;  let  it  boil,  and  it  will  be 
ready  to  serve.  If  dried  peas  are  used,  they  should  be  steeped  for 
twenty-four  hours  in  soft  water,  and  boiled  for  two  hours. 

Barley  Soup. — Three  ounces  of  barley,  one  and  a  half  ounces  ol 
stale  bread  crumbs,  one  ounce  of  butter,  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  chop- 
ped parsley,  and  half  an  ounce  of  salt.  Wash,  and  steep  the  barley 
for  twelve  hours  in  half  a  pint  of  water,  to  which  a  piece  of  soda,  the 
size  of  a  pea,  has  been  added  ;  pour  off  the  water  that  is  not  absorbed ; 
add  the  bread  crumbs,  three  quarts  of  boiling  water,  and  the  salt ;  boil 
slowly  in  a  well-tinned  covered  pan  for  four  or  five  hours,  and  add  the 
parsley  and  butter  about  half  an  hour  before  the  soup  is  ready  to  be 
served. 

Celery  Soup. — Six  roots  of  celery,  one  large  turnip,  two  ouficea 
of  onions,  four  ounces  of  bread  crumbs,  one  ounce  of  butter,  one  des- 
sert-spoonful of  flour,  and  half  a  pint  of  cream.  Strip  off  all  the  green 
part  of  the  celery,  using  only  the  white  ;  cut  it  in  shreds,  reserving 
the  inside  of  three  of  tlie  roots  to  be  added  afterward  ;  slice  the  turnip 
and  onion,  and  put  them  with  the  celery  into  a  pan  ;  add  two  quarts 
of  water,  the  bread  crumbs,  and  a  little  salt ;  let  all  boil  till  the  vege- 
tables are  perfectly  soft ;  rub  through  a  sieve  ;  return  it  to  the  pan  ; 
add  the  celery  (previously  boiled  till  quite  soft),  the  butter,  and  flour, 
well  mixed ;  stir  it,  seasoning  it  with  a  little  mace  ;  and,  after  boiling 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  stir  in  the  cream,  but  do  not  allow  it  to  boil 
afterward. 

Browning  for  Soups. — Three  large  spoonfuls  of  brown  sugar; 
one  half  pint  of  boiling  water.  Put  the  sugar  into  a  frying-pan,  set  it 
on  the  fire  to  brown,  stirring  it  with  a  wooden  spoon,  that  it  may  not 
burn.  When  sufficiently  dark-colored,  stir  into  in  the  boiling  water  ; 
when  thoroughly  mixed  put  it  into  a  bottle  ;  and,  when  cold,  cork  it 
closely  down,  and  use  a  tablespoonful  or  more,  as  may  be  required,  to 
give  a  color  to  your  soup.  A  burnt  onion  or  two  can  be  made  of  use 
for  the  purpose  of  browning,  and  is  often  considered  better  than  the 
above  recipe. 

Note.— For  the  convenience  of  those  who  have  not  an  opportunity  of  -weighing 
the  ingredients  for  the  sonps,  it  may  be  etated  that  one  large  tablespoonful  will  be 
about  equal  to  one  ounce,  and  one  teasponf  ul  to  a  quarter  of  an  ounce.  But  weigh- 
ing should  be  resorted  to  whenever  it  is  possible. 

Potato  Soup. — One  quart  of  potatoes,  pared  and  cut  into  small 
strips  or  blocks,  a  large  sprig  of  parsley,  the  same  of  thyme  or  sweet 
marjoram,  cut  fine  ;  boil  three-fourths  of  an  hour  in  three  quarts  of 


RECIPES.  173 

water,  then  add  half  a  pint  of  cream  or  new  milk  ;  put  a  small  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  into  a  plate  where  it  will  soften,  and  stir  into  it 
two  spoonsful  of  flour,  add  to  the  soup,  and  boil  five  minutes.  Drop- 
dumplings  made  with  a  little  flour  and  cream,  yeast  and  milk  are  an 
addition. 

Green-Pea  Soup. — Take  two  quarts  of  green-peas,  one  small 
onion,  and  a  sprig  of  parsley  cut  fine  ;  add  two  quarts  of  hot  water, 
and  boil  slowly  for  half  an  hour,  then  add  a  pint  of  small  new  potatoes 
which  have  been  peeled  and  laid  in  cold  water  an  hour  ;  put  in  a  table- 
spoonful  of  sugar  and  a  little  salt,  boil  till  the  potatoes  are  done,  now 
add  a  teacupful  of  cream  or  a  pint  of  milk,  boil  a  minute  or  two, 
and  serve  with  small  slices  of  toasted  bread  or  gems  cut  in  halves. 

Tomato  Soup — Take  two  quarts  of  fresh,  round  tomatoes,  scald 
and  peel,  without  breaking ;  do  not  cut  or  fork  them.  Put  into  a 
porcelain  kettle,  or  fire-proven  stone  vessel,  add  two  quarts  of  boiling 
water,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  set  on  the  fire  or  in  the  oven, 
cover,  and  let  them  stew  slowly  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  Mix  two 
tablespoons ful  of  flour  with  a  tablespoonf ul  of  butter,  or  a  teacupful 
of  good  cream,  which  has  been  boiled,  stir  into  the  soup,  and  let  it  boil 
together  ten  minutes,  and  dish  up  with  small  thin  slices  of  well-toast- 
ed bread.  Be  careful  to  let  the  tomatoes  remain  whole,  as  you  would 
oysters. 

A  teacupful  of  grated  corn  added  to  the  soup  when  you  put  in  the 
flour,  etc.,  will  be  an  excellent  addition,  and  render  the  imitation  of 
oyster  soup  more  complete.  Simmer  the  corn  only  ten  minutes,  if  it  is 
fresh  and  full  of  milk. 

NoTK. — We  give  you  only  one  or  two  meat  soups,  and  thepe  with  special  refer- 
ence to  tomatoes.  Meat  soups  are  well  known  in  almost  endless  varieties,  but  good 
vegetable  soups  are  j-curce. 

Beep  and  Tomato  Soup. — Take  two  pounds  of  red  beef — a  neck 
piece,  or  from  the  round  ;  carefully  remove  all  the  fat,  and  cut  the 
meat  into  small  bits ;  put  into  a  stewpan  with  two  quarts  of  cold 
water,  and  simmer  slowly  one  hour.  Remove  all  the  scum  as  soon  as 
it  rises,  and  keep  covered  close.  Scald  until  quite  soft,  one  quart  of 
nice  ripe  tomatoes,  and  press  through  a  colander  ;  add  to  the  broth 
from  which  you  have  removed  the  meat,  and  boil  half  an  hour ;  put 
in  a  sprig  of  sweet  marjoram  or  thyme,  then  take  two  ears  of  swee- 
corn,  and  cut  and  scrape  all  the  kernels  from  the  cob,  also  two  table 
spoonsful  of  flour  and  one  of  sugar,  browned  but  not  burned,  mix  with 
half  a  teacupful  sweet  cream  or  milk  ;  add  these  ingredients  and  boil 
fifteen  minutes.     Season  with  a  little  salt  and  cayenne  pepper. 

NoTB. — You  will  observe  that  all  the  ingredients  of  this  soup  require  but  little 
actual  cooking.  The  pure  nutriment  of  beef  is  found  with  rare  cooking.  Tomatoes 
lose  their  fine  flavor  by  much  boiling,  and  com  hardens  at  a  certain  period — fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes,  if  it  is  fresh  and  full  of  milk,  is  sufficient  to  cook  corn. 

Another. — Make  a  soup  of  bones  or  bits  of  meat  left  from  a  roast, 
add  a  little  cabbage,  sweet  potato,  and  parsley  cut  fine,  boil  till  well 
done,  then  cut  or  grate  a  pint  of  green  corn  and  half  a  dozen  fresh 


174  RECIPES. 

tomatoes,  boil  these  with  the  soup  fifteen  or  twenty  miuntes,  and 
serve. 

Note — Eemove  all  the  fat  from  the  meat  before  putting  it  into  the  water,  and 
Bkim  off  what  remains  as  soon  as  it  rises.  This  is  far  more  wholesome  and  relish- 
able  than  stock  prepared  some  days  beforehand.  Stale  meats  are  the  same,  even  in 
soup. 

Vermicelli  Soup. — Six  ounces  of  vermicelli,  two  quarts  of  new 
milk,  the'  yolks  of  four  eggs,  and  one  pint  of  cream.  Blanch  the  ver- 
micelli by  setting  it  on  the  fire  in  cold  water  ;  when  it  boils,  drain  off 
the  water,  and  put  it  into  cold  water ;  let  it  remain  a  few  minutes,  and 
then  drain  the  water  entirely  from  it ;  put  it  into  a  pan  with  the  milk, 
and  boil  it ;  beat  up  the  yolks  of  the  eggs,  and  after  gradually  adding 
a  pint  of  boiled  cream,  strain  through  a  sieve.  Take  off  the  pan  ;  add 
the  eggs,  cream,  a  small  lump  of  white  sugar,  and  a  tea-spoonful  of 
salt,  and  stir  the  soup  on  the  fire  till  near  boiling. 

Barley  Broth. — Four  ounces  of  Scotch  barley,  four  ounces  of 
onions,  four  ounces  of  oat-meal,  or  Indian  meal,  and  two  ounces  of 
butter.  After  washing  the  barley  well,  steep  it  in  fresh  water  for 
twelve  hours ;  set  it  on  the  fire  in  two  quarts  of  water,  adding  the 
onions  and  a  little  salt,  and  boil  gently  fo**  an  hour  and  a  quarter. 
Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan ;  stir  in  the  meal  till  it  becomes  a  paste ; 
then  add  a  little  of  the  broth  gradually,  till  it  is  a  proper  thickness  to 
mix  with  the  whole  quantity  ;  stir  well  together  till  it  boils,  and  mix 
with  a  little  of  the  broth  a  drachm  of  celery  seed,  pounded  ;  stir  well 
in  the  broth ;  simmer  it  gently  a  quarter  of  an  hour  longer,  and  serve. 

PORRIDGES. 

Wheat-meal  Porridge. — Having  boiled  one  quart  of  soft  water, 
and  mixed  half  a  pound  of  meal  in  a  little  cold  water,  mix  them  to- 
gether, and  boil  for  fifteen  minutes,  stirring  it  occasionally.  Pour  it 
into  basins  and  let  it  stand  for  ten  minutes.  To  be  eaten  with  fruit, 
sugar  or  molasses,  and  bread. 

Indian-meal  Porridge. — Make  same  as  the  wheat-meal  porridge, 
only  that  it  must  be  cooked  for  nearly  an  hour,  and  be  made  thinner, 
to  allow  for  the  evaporation  which  comes  from  the  boiling. 

Indian  Farina  Porridge. — To  one  pint  of  boiling  water  add  four 
tablespoonf ul  of  farina ;  mix  and  serve  the  same  as  the  wheat-meal 
porridge. 

Arrowroot  Porridge, — Mix  one  ounce  of  prepared  arrowroot  with 
a  tablespoonsful  of  cold  water,  then  pour  boiling  water  on  it  to  make  it 
the  required  thickness,  stirring  it  well  at  the  same  time.  A  slice  or 
two  of  lemon  with  a  little  sugar  will  be  found  an  improvement.  To 
be  eaten  with  crackers  or  bread. 

Boiled  Wheat  Porridge, — Having  soaked  over  night  one  pound 
of  good  wheat  in  pure  soft  water,  strain  the  water  off  and  add  a  quart 
of  fresh  ;  stew  it  gently  till  quite  soft.     It  may  be  eaten  as  wheat-mea 
porridge. 


RECIPES.  1 75 

Sago  PoimrDGE. — Four  tablespoonsf ul  of  sago,  one  salt-spoonfuls  of 
salt,  and  one  quart  of  water.  Soak  the  sago  in  cold  water  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  boil  it  gently  about  an  hour,  adding  the  salt;  pour  it  into 
soup-plates,  and  serve  with  molasses  or  sugar. 

Sago  and  Rice  Porridge. — Equal  quantities  of  sago  and  ground 
rice.     Proceed  as  with  sago  porridge. 

Milk  Porridge. — Take  of  new  milk  a  pint  and  a  half,  and  half  a 
pint  of  water  ;  place  it  over  the  fire.  When  just  ready  to  boil,  stir  in  a 
tablespoonful  of  flour,  wheat-meal,  oat-meal,  or  Indian  corn-meal,  pre- 
viously mixed  with  a  little  water;  after  boiling  a  minute  pour  it  on 
bread  cut  into  small  pieces.  As  milk  burns  quicker  than  almost  any 
other  article  of  food,  it  is  always  best  to  put  it  into  a  tin  pail  or  fa- 
rina kettle,  which  is  or  can  be  surrounded  by  boiling  water  while  heat- 
ing, then  you  are  sure  of  not  burning  it. 

Arrowroot  Ghuel. — Take  one  ounce  of  arrowroot,  and  two  large 
tablespoonsful  of  preserved  black  currants.  Put  the  currants  into  a 
pan  with  a  quart  of  water;  cover  the  pan  and  let  them  stew  gently 
about  half  an  hour  ;  then  strain  the  liquid  and  set  it  on  the  fire;  when 
boiling  pour  it  gradually  upon  the  arrowroot,  previously  mixed  with  a 
little  cold  water,  stirring  it  well;  return  it  into  the  pan  and  let  it  boil 
for  a  few  minutes  gently,  adding  sugar  if  required. 

S.-^-GO  Gruel. — Take  two  tablespoonsful  of  sago  and  one  quart  of 
water.  Wash  and  soak  the  sago  a  few  minutes  in  cold  water;  stir  it 
into  the  rest  of  the  water  when  boiling;  boil  slowly  till  the  sago  is 
well  done,  and  add  sugar  and  nutmeg  as  required. 

Tapioca  Gruel. — Wash  a  tablespoonful  of  tapioca  and  soak  it  in  a 
pint  and  a  half  of  water  twenty  minutes;  then  boil  gently,  stirring 
frequently,  till  it  is  sufl3[ciently  cooked,  and  sweeten. 

Groat  Gruel. — Pick  the  groats  very  clean  and  steep  them  in  water 
for  several  hours ;  then  boil  them  in  soft  water  till  quite  tender  and 
thick,  and  add  boiling  water  suflBcient  to  reduce  the  whole  to  the  con- 
sistency of  gruel,  also  currants,  sugar,  and  grated  nutmeg.  Groats  are 
made  of  oats*  grain,  the  hulls  being  removed  and  the  grain  left  quite 
whole,  as  are  all  preparations  of  this  grain.  This  gruel  is  very  nutri- 
tious. 

REMARKS  AND  RULES  FOR  GOOD  BREAD. 

With  good  flour,  a  good  oven,  and  a  good,  sensible,  interested  cook, 
we  can  be  pretty  sure  of  good,  wholesome  bread.  Yeast  bread  is  con- 
sidered the  standard  bread,  and  is,  perhaps,  more  generally  found  on 
every  table  than  any  other  kind.  Hence  it  is  important  to  know  how 
to  make  good,  sweet,  wholesome,  yeast  bread.  Good  flour  is  the  first 
indispensable,  then  good,  lively  yeast,  either  yeast  cakes  or  bottled, 
the  former  is  preferable  in  all  respects.  Then,  of  course,  there  must 
be  the  proper  materials  to  work  with.  A  bread  bowl  or  pan — the  pan 
is  easiest  kept  clean — a  stone  or  earthen  jar  for  setting  the  sponge;  a 
sieve — flour  should  always  be  sifted  before  making  bread  of  any  kind 


176  RECIPES. 

first,  to  be  sure  that  it  is  perfectly  clean,  secondly,  sifting  enlivens  and 
aerates  the  flour,  and  makes  both  mixing  and  rising  easier  and  quicker; 
a  clean,  white  cloth  to  cover  the  dough,  and  a  woollen  blanket  to  keep 
the  dough  of  even  temperature  while  rising;  baking  pans,  deep  aud 
shallow,  a  large,  strong  spoon  for  stirring,  and  a  little  melted  suet  oi 
fresh  butter  for  oiling  the  pans  ;  never  use  poor  butter.  If  you  want 
shortening,  rich  milk  or  cream  scalded  and  cooled  will  answer  the  pur- 
pose and  be  most  wholesome.  But  thorough  kneading  is  better  still, 
and  should  always  be  done  effectually.  Scalding  a  portion  of  the  flour 
makes  a  sweeter  bread  and  speeds  the  work.  Water,  milk,  or  butter — 
milk  may  be  poured  boiling  hot  on  a  quart  or  two  of  the  flour,  stirring 
well,  and  cooling  to  a  moderate  temperature  before  adding  the  yeast — 
this  makes  the  sponge.  Scalded  flour  always  makes  a  little  darker 
bread,  unless  we  use  buttermilk,  which  makes  a  rich,  creamy,  white 
bread.  Yeast  is  fermented  flour  or  meal— the  first  stages  of  decompo- 
sition or  decay.  Understanding  this,  every  baker  will  comprehend  the 
necessity  of  regulating  the  extent  of  the  fermentation  with  the  great- 
est care:  for  a  sponge  or  bread  fermented  or  "  raised  "  too  long,  is  de- 
composing, spoiling — actually  rotting  1  This  is  the  language  of  an  ex- 
perienced English  baker  to  us  only  a  few  days  ago,  during  a  talk  about 
the  delicate,  foamy  loaves  "yeasted  to  death,"  which  so  many  families 
are  eating  and  calling  "the  staff  of  life,"  quite  discarding  the  firm, 
sweet,  substantial,  home-made  loaf  which  our  mothers  and  grand- 
mothers kneaded  with  their  own  skilled  hands.  Bread-making  should 
stand  at  the  head  of  domestic  accomplishments  :  since  the  health  and 
happiness  of  the  family  depends  incalculably  upon  good  bread  ;  and 
there  comes  a  time  in  every  true,  thoughtful  woman's  experience  when 
she  is  glad  she  can  make  nice,  sweet  loaves,  free  from  soda,  alum,  and 
other  injurious  ingredients,  or  an  earnest  regret  that  she  neglected 
or  was  so  unfortunate  as  not  to  have  been  taught  at  least  what  are  the 
requisites  of  good  bread-making. 

Yeast. — Dry  yeast  or  yeast  cakes  are  more  convenient  and  less  liable 
to  taste  in  the  bread  than  bakers'  yeast.  Two  or  three  times  a  year 
there  should  be  a  fresh  supply  of  yeast  cakes  prepared  and  carefully 
put  in  a  dry  place.  Yeast  cakes  are  manufactured  and  sold,  some  of 
which  are  very  reliable.  To  make  dry  yeast,  steep  for  half  an  hour  a 
handful  of  fresh  hops  in  a  quart  of  boiling  water.  Sift  two  quarts  of 
flour  in  an  earthen  or  stone  pan,  and  strain  into  the  flour  the  hoiling 
hop  tea.  Stir  well  and  let  it  cool,  when  lukewarm  add  a  cent's  worth 
of  baker's  yeast  or  a  cupful  of  good  home-made  yeast,  and  put  in  a 
tablespoonf  ul  of  brown  sugar,  a  tablespoonf  ul  of  ginger,  a  teaspoonf  ul 
of  salt,  mix  thoroughly  and  let  it  rise.  It  is  best  to  prepare  this  sponge 
over  night,  and  early  in  the  morning  it  will  be  rounded  up  and  light, 
and  give  you  all  day,  which  should  be  sunny  and  breezy,  to  make  and 
dry  the  yeast  cakes.  Now  mix  into  the  sponge  as  much  good  corn 
meal  as  will  make  a  stiff,  firm  dough,  knead  it  well  and  make  it  into  a 
long,  round  roll  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter.  Cut  it  into  slices 
half  an  inch  thick,  spread  a  clean  cloth  or  clean  paper  on  a  board  and 
lay  the  cakes  on  and  put  into  a  light,  airy  place  to  dry.  Turn  them 
Beveral  times  during  the  day,  and  speed  the  drying  as  fast  as  possible, 
as  the  fermentation  goes  on  while  they  remain  moist.     When  dry  put 


RECIPES.  177 

into  a  bag  made  of  firm  linen  or  cotton,  tie  close,  and  liang  high  and 
dry. 

Bread  with  Scalded  Sponge. — Set  your  sponge  the  last  thing  at 
night,  thus :  put  one  veast  cake  to  soften  in  a  half  cup  of  warm  water, 
sift  two  quarts  of  flour  into  a  bowl  or  pan  that  will  hold  four  quarts, 
scald  the  riour  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  boiling  water  to  moisten  it 
all.  Stir  very  thoroughly  till  it  is  free  from  lumps  and  cool  enough  to 
put  in  the  yeast  cake,  add  the  yeast,  and  set  to  rise  in  a  warm  place  in 
winter,  or  in  a  cool  place  in  summer.  In  the  morning  before  breakfast 
the  sponge  will  be  risen  round  and  foamy,  and  should  be  made  imme- 
diately into  dough.  Sift  as  much  flour  as  you  need  into  your  bread 
bowl  or  pan,  and  in  cold  weatlier  to  warm  the  flour  will  gain  you  time 
and  credit.  If  you  wish  to  make  a  Graham  loaf  or  two,  save  one-third 
of  the  sponge  for  that,  and  mix  the  rest  into  the  sifted  and  warmed 
flour,  add  a  pint  of  warm  water,  or  sufficient  to  make  the  flour  into  a 
firm  dough,  and  knead  until  smooth  and  free  from  the  board  and  hands. 
Put  the  dough  back  into  the  bread  pan,  cover  with  a  clean  cloth,  and 
wrap  a  warmed  blanket  over  the  whole  to  keep  from  the  air.  The 
more  muffled  you  wrap  it  the  sooner  the  bread  will  rise.  If  the  tem- 
perature has  been  just  right,  the  bread  will  be  ready  to  mold  into  the 
baking  tins  in  less  than  two  hours.  Have  the  pans  cleaned  and  greased* 
divide  the  dough  into  loaves  which  will  two-thirds  fill  the  pan,  knead 
lightly  with  a  little  flour  on  the  board,  but  use  no  more  than  you  can 
help.  Cover  slightly  and  let  it  rise  again  till  the  loaf  looks  as  large  as 
it  should  be.  Now  the  oven  should  be  hot,  with  a  firm  steady  fire, 
which  will  last  three  quarters  of  an  hour  ;  fresh  fuel  ought  not  to  be 
added  till  the  bread  is  finished.  Every  cook  should  know  just  what 
her  oven  will  do,  and  be  governed  accordingly ;  if  too  hot  at  the  bottom 
set  the  pan  up  an  inch,  if  too  hot  at  the  top  cover  the  loaf  with  brown 
paper,  open  the  oven  as  little  as  possible.  When  baked,  remove  the 
loaf  at  once  from  the  pan  and  put  to  cool  on  a  rack,  or  resting  it  on 
one  edge.  Never  cover  or  allow  bread  to  sweat  in  the  baking  tins,  the 
crusts  will  soften  as  they  cool.  Good  flour  and  properly  made  bread 
will  not  have  hard  crusts.  When  cold,  wrap  the  bread  in  the  bread 
cloth  and  put  into  a  tray  or  into  a  clean  tin  boiler,  cover,  but  not  air- 
tight.    Bread  thus  made  will  be  good  and  fresh  for  several    days. 

Remark. — The  keen  fermenting  odor  which  starts  up  when  the 
dough  is  ready  for  the  second  kneading  is  not  sour,  nor  does  it  need 
soda.     Soda  kills  the  lively  quality  of  yeast. 

Yeast  Graham  Bread. — Take  the  remainder  of  the  white  flour 
sponge,  a  tablespoonful  of  sugar,  and  three  pints  of  warm  water  ;  mix 
with  them  Graham  flour  into  as  stiff  a  dough  as  you  can  stir  well  with 
a  large  spoon.  Beat  it  up  thoroughly  for  ten  minutes,  or,  if  you  can- 
not manage  the  spoon,  dip  the  hand  into  water,  and  work  the  dough 
till  it  is  very  smooth.  Let  it  rise  two  hours,  then  stir  it  up  and  put  it 
into  deep  baking-tins,  and  let  it  stand  till  it  begins  to  rise  again.  Bake 
in  a  quick  oven  one  hour.  Graham  flour  ferments  quicker  than  fine 
flour,  and  should  not  be  allowed  to  rise  so  long.  If,  when  the  bread  is 
cold,  it  seems  too  soft,  remember,  the  next  time,  to  mix  the  dough  a 


178  BECIPES. 

little  stiffer.  The  precise  consistency  cannot  be  guessed  a) ways,  as 
some  wheat  works  softer  than  others.  The  sweetening  can  be  left  out 
with  propriety.  Indeed,  we  never  could  see  why  Graham  tiour  should 
be  sweetened  at  all,  as  it  has  all  the  sugar  of  the  grain  left  in,  while 
fine  flour  has  had  the  sugar  taken  out  by  the  process  of  bolting. 

Bread  with  Potatoes. — Potatoes  assist  fermentation,  and  render 
the  dough  lighter  and  more  tender  when  we  wish  to  make  bread  in 
haste.  Peel  and  boil,  or  steam,  a  quart  of  potatoes^  mash  them  very 
fine,  or,  what  is  better,  press  them  through  a  colander  while  they  are 
hot,  add  half  a  pint  of  water  and  a  salt-spoonful  of  salt,  stir  them  into 
a  batter,  and  then  put  in  a  yeast  cake  previously  softened,  or  a  teacup- 
ful  of  lively  yeast,  and  make  into  a  dough  with  two  quarts  of  sifted 
flour.  Knead  it  half  an  hour,  put  plenty  of  flour  on  your  board,  and 
knead  it  until  it  cleaves  from  the  board  with  a  light  tearing  sound. 
Be  careful  not  to  let  your  dough  grow  very  cold  while  you  work  it. 
Divide  into  loaves,  and  set  to  rise  in  a  warm  place.  Watch  the  pro- 
cess, and  when  the  loaves  are  quite  light  have  your  oven  in  good  heat 
and  bake  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  This  bread  is  very  nice  if  well 
mside,  i.  e.,  the  potatoes  made  very  fine  and  kept  hot,  and  perhaps  the 
flour  warmed  also  ;  but  it  is  not  so  good  when  stale  as  that  made  with 
a  scalded  sponge. 

Delicious  Biscuit. — Made  in  the  same  manner,  only  adding  half  a 
pint  of  sour  cream  instead  of  the  water.  Bring  the  cream  to  a  scald- 
ing heat,  and  put  in  a  teaspoonful  of  soda ;  mix  otherwise  the  same. 
Set  to  rise  in  the  bowl,  and,  when  light,  make  into  small  cakes.  Put 
them  close  in  the  pan,  and  let  them  rise  upward  within  an  inch  of  the 
top  of  the  pan  and  bake. 

Butter]!^ilk  Bread. — Put  three  or  four  pints  of  fresh  buttermilk 
into  a  saucepan  and  boil  it.  Stir  it  pretty  constantly  while  it  is  heat- 
ing, to  keep  it  from  separating  into  whey  and  curd.  Have  a  quart  of 
flour  sifted  into  a  suitable  vessel,  pour  the  boiling  buttermilk  on  the 
flour,  and  scald  it  thoroughly.  Stir  until  all  the  flour  is  mixed,  and 
set  to  cool.  When  sufficiently  cool  add  a  teacupf  ul  of  good  yeast,  and 
let  it  rise  over  night ;  in  the  morning  sift  and  mix  into  the  sponge 
enough  flour  to  make  a  stiff  dough  ;  knead  well,  and  set  to  rise  for 
two  hours,  then  divide  into  loaves  and  knead  slightly.  At  this  time 
use  as  little  flour  as  possible.  Set  to  rise  again,  and  bake  as  soon  as 
light  enough.  Bake  in  a  steady  oven  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  This 
is  a  good  sponge  for  dark,  or  runny  flour.  The  bread  will  be  white 
and  moist.  Graham  flour,  prepared  with  scalded  buttermilk,  mixed  a 
little  stiffer  than  where  sweet  milk  or  water  is  used,  is  very  sweet  and 
good.  Do  not  put  soda  into  the  milk  or  sponge.  It  will  be  perfectly 
Bweet  when  it  is  baked  if  the  yeast  is  fresh,  and  if  the  whole  process 
is  carefully  attended  to  in  the  right  time. 

Sweet  Potato  Buns. — Boil,  and  then  mash  three  good-sized  sweet 
potatoes  with  a  pint  of  cream  or  new  milk  ;  mix  with  as  much  flour  as 
will  make  a  dough  as  for  bread,  adding  a  teacupful  of  good  sponge  or 
yeast.  Knead  well,  and  set  to  rise.  Always  wrap  your  blanket  dose 
aroind  the  bowl,  and  place  where  the  wind  or  cold  air  does  not  come, 


RECIPES.  179 

if  you  wish  a  quick  rising.  As  soon  as  the  dough  begins  to  crach 
open  mould  into  small  rolls  and  put  close  together  in  the  baking-pan. 
When  sufficiently  light  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  half  an  hour. 

Graham  Muffins. — Dissolve  a  half  cake  of  yeast  in  a  little  warm 
water,  scald  a  quart  of  milk  and  pour  it  into  two  quarts  of  Graham 
flour,  stir  well,  and  let  it  cool  sufficiently,  then  put  in  the  yeast  and  a 
spoonful  of  brown  sugar,  make  a  very  thick  batter,  which  will  heap 
on  the  spoon  ;  set  to  rise  over  night.  In  the  morning  have  a  good  hot 
oven,  butter  your  rings  and  the  pan  well  with  cold  butter,  fill  the 
rings  two-thirds  full,  let  them  stand  a  few  minutes  in  a  warm  place, 
then  put  into  the  brisk  oven  and  bake  half  an  hour. 

Bread  Muffins. — Take  four  slices  of  baker's  bread,  and  cut  off  the 
crust.  Lay  them  in  a  pan,  and  pour  boiling  water  over  them,  only 
just  sufficient  to  soak  them  well.  Cover  the  vessel  with  a  cloth,  and 
when  it  has  stood  an  hour  draw  off  the  water,  and  stir  the  soaked 
bread  till  the  mass  is  quite  smooth,  then  mix  in  two  tablespoonsful  of 
sifted  Hour  and  half  a  pint  of  milk,  and  stir  in,  gradually,  two  well- 
beaten  eggs.  Butter  some  muffin  rings,  set  them  in  a  buttered  bake- 
pan,  and  fill  each  two-thirds  full.     Bake  brown,  and  send  to  the  table 

JlOt. 

Buckwheat  Cakes. — One  quart  of  buckwheat  flour  and  a  half  a 
pint  of  Graham  meal.  Mix  with  lukewarm  water  into  a  batter,  stir  in 
a  teacupful  of  good  yeast  sponge  or  a  half  cent's  worth  of  baker's 
yeast ;  mix  in  an  earthen  or  stone  vessel,  and  set  over  night  in  a  warm 
place  to  rise.  If  the  temperature  and  yeast  have  been  j  ust  right,  the 
batter  will  be  light  and  sweet,  and  not  need  soda.  It  should  be  con- 
sidered a  mistake  when  the  ferment  needs  neutralizing,  and  cai-e 
taken  to  set  cooler  or  correct  the  yeast. 

Buckwheat  Gravy. — Buckwheat  cakes  are  often  considered  rather 
an  unwholesome  dish  ;  but  we  think  that  the  fault  comes  from  the 
excess  of  melted  butter  and  syrup,  which  is  usually  eaten  with  them. 
Substitute  this,  at  least  for  the  children  : — Boil  a  pint  of  milk  and  half 
a  pint  of  cream,  put  in  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  two  or  three  large 
spoonsful  of  buckwheat  batter,  dip  a  spoonful  and  put  directly  into 
the  boiling  milk,  wait  for  it  to  boil  up,  and  then  add  another  till  you 
get  a  proper  consistency,  boil  a  minute  longer,  and  pour  into  a  tureen 
or  pitcher  for  the  table. 

Gravies — May  always  take  the  place  of  butter  and  syrup  when 
griddle  cakes  are  to  be  eaten,  simply  by  boiling  a  pint  of  milk  or 
cream  and  adding  a  spoonful  or  two  of  the  batter  of  which  the  cakea 
are  made  as  a  thickening,  a  little  salt  and  a  very  little  lump  of  butter 
may  be  added.  Children  are  far  better  satisfied  with  a  creamy  gravy 
than  with  butter. 

Hygienic  Breakfast  Cakes. — One  pint  of  fresh  oatmeal,  one  quart 
water,  let  it  stand  over  night.  In  the  morning  add  one  teaspoonful  ol 
fine  salt,  one  tablespoonful  of  sugar,  and  the  same  of  baking  powder, 
and  one  pint  of  Graham  flour.   If  the  above  proportions  make  a  batter 


180  EECIPES. 

too  stiff  for  griddle  cakes,  add  more  water.     If  gems  are  preferred  ia 
stead  of  cakes,  the  addition  of  a  little  more  flour  is  all  that  is  required 
to  produce  an  extra  article. 

Oatmeal  Bread. — One  quart  fresh  oatmeal,  two  quarts  of  water, 
let  stand  half  a  day  or  over  night.  When  ready  to  bake,  add  one 
quart  of  fine,  or  Graham  flour,  half  a  cup  of  sugar,  one  teaspoonful 
fine  salt,  two  teaspoonsful  of  baking  powder  ;  mix  with  a  spoon.  No 
kneading  is  required.     If  too  stiff,  add  water. 

Corn  Cakes. — Three  cups  of  corn  meal,  one  cup  of  Graham  flour, 
two  teaspoonsful  of  cream  yeast  powder  sifted  together,  one  cup  of 
cream,  and  half  a  cup  of  milk,  one  egg  well  beaten  ;  stir  altogether 
well  and  quickly  ;  heat  your  gem  irons  hot ;  butter  and  fill ;  bake  with 
a  brisk  heat.  Gem  tins  or  forms  do  not  need  to  be  heated  before  fill- 
ing, they  may  be  oiled  and  filled  on  the  table,  and  put  into  a  quick 
oven. 

Graham  Griddle  Cakes. — Into  one  pint  of  Graham  flour  and  half 
pint  Indian  meal  mix  thoroughly  two  teaspoonsful  of  cream  yeast  and 
half  teaspoonful  salt,  beat  up  well  one  egg  and  mix  with  one  pint  cold 
water,  into  which  mix  thoroughly  the  flour  as  prepared,  and  fry  at 
once. 

Gold  Medal  Corn  Cakes. — Mix  two  heaping  teaspoonsful  of  cream 
yeast  and  half  teaspoonful  of  salt  thoroughly  through  one  pint  of  In- 
dian meal  and  half  pint  of  sifted  flour,  beat  well  one  egg  and  mix  in 
one  tablespoonf ul  of  brown  sugar,  half  pint  milk  or  cold  water,  and 
stir  in  the  meal  as  prepared,  to  the  consistency  of  a  thick  batter,  steam 
until  half  done  in  a  three  pint  basin,  and  finish  by  baking  in  a  hot 
oven,  or  drop  into  hot  cup  or  gem  pans  well  buttered,  and  bake  in  a 
hot  oven. 

Corn  Gems. — Mix  two  heaping  teaspoonsful  of  cream  yeast  and  half 
teaspoonful  of  salt  thoroughly  through  one  and  one  half  pound  sifted  In- 
dian meal ;  stir  the  meal  as  prepared  slowly  into  one  pint  (more  or 
less)  of  sweet  milk  or  cold  water,  so  as  to  make  a  very  thin  batter, 
place  in  hot  gem  tins  or  cups,  let  them  stand  five  minutes  in  a  warm 
place  and  bake  in  a  very  hot  oven. 

Yankee  Strawberry  Short  Cake. — Mix  two  heaping  teaspoonsful 
of  cream  yeast  and  half  teaspoonful  of  salt  thoroughly  through  one 
quart  of  sifted  flour,  beat  well  one  egg,  and  mix  in  two  tablespoonsful 
melted  butter,  one  of  sugar,  nearly  a  pint  of  sweet  milk  or  cold  water, 
mix  in  the  flour  as  prepared,  as  thin  as  convenient  to  handle,  knead 
but  little,  let  stand  five  minutes  in  a  warm  place,  bake  in  a  quick  oven ; 
cut  into  three  layers,  place  sugar  and  strawberries  between  and  dust 
upper  crust  with  sugar. 

Squash  Cakes. — Mix  Graham  flour  with  half  its  bulk  of  stewed 
squash,  or  pumpkin,  and  add  milk  enough  to  make  a  thick  batter, 
about  a  cup  of  milk  to  each  cup  of  squash.  Put  in  one  teaspoonful 
cream  yeast,  mixing  it  well  with  the  flour.    Cook  on  a  griddle. 


RECIPES.  181 

Boston  Brown  Bread. — Take  three  pints  of  Indian  meal,  sifted 
s,A  one  quart  of  rye  meal,  sifted.  Stir  into  the  corn  meal  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt  and  one  teacupful  of  molasses,  and  wet  it  to  a  batter, 
as  thick  as  that  used  for  griddle  cakes,  with  boiling  water  ;  then  set  it 
aside  to  cool.  Stir  one  large  cofFeecupful  of  sour  milk,  or  buttermilk, 
into  the  rye  meal,  add  to  it  one  teaspoonf  ul  of  soda  dissolved  in  two 
t&blespoonsful  of  boiling  water,  and  boil  on  the  stove  for  two  minutes, 
or  until  it  is  in  a  light  froth. 

Mix  together  the  corn  and  rye  meal  batter  with  the  hand,  beating  it 
well.  Let  it  stand  for  fifteen  minutes,  then  turn  into  an  iron  bake 
kettle,  and  bake  for  three  or  four  hours.  This  will  make  a  large  loaf 
of  bread,  but  it  is  better  to  bake  it  all  in  one  pan,  as  a  very  thick,  hard 
crust  forms  over  the  whole,  and  if  one  likes,  it  can  be  partly  removed 
while  hot,  and  eaten  with  milk  or  cream,  for  it  makes  a  very  palatable 
dish  for  breakfast  or  supper. 

We  prefer  to  bake  brown  bread,  however,  by  steaming  it  in  a  large  tin 
pudding  dish  for  three  hours,  placing  the  tin  in  a  kettle  of  boiling 
water,  and  not  letting  it  boil  over  the  top  of  it.  Then  it  is  put  into 
the  oven  for  another  hour  ;  and  this  way  of  cooking  it  will  form  no 
crust  that  is  not  easily  eaten,  and  gives  the  bread  a  delicious  flavor, 
and  it  will  remain  moist  for  several  days.  When  it  is  two  or  three 
days  old  it  is  much  improved  by  being  warmed  in  the  oven  or  toasted. 

Apple  Bread. — Weigh  one  pound  of  fresh,  juicy  apples,  peel,  core 
and  stew  them  to  a  pulp,  being  careful  to  use  a  porcelain  kettle  or  a 
stone  jar,  placed  inside  an  ordinary  saucepan  of  boiling  water ;  other- 
wise the  fruit  will  become  discolored  ;  mix  the  pulp  with  two  pounds 
of  the  best  flour ;  put  in  the  same  quantity  of  yeast  you  would  use  for 
common  bread,  and  as  much  water  as  will  make  it  a  fine,  smooth 
dough  ;  put  into  an  iron  pan  and  place  it  into  a  warm  place  to  rise,  and 
let  it  remain  for  twelve  hours,  at  least.  Form  it  into  rather  long-shaped 
loaves,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

Fruit  Corn  Cakes. — Put  a  pint  of  whortleberries  in  a  bowl,  add  a 
teacupful  of  sugar,  one  pint  of  corn  meal  and  a  large  tablespoonful  of 
fine  flour,  wet  with  boiling  water.  Bake  in  cakes  about  one-half  an 
inch  thick  on  a  griddle  or  in  an  oven  twenty  minutes.  For  nice  apple 
cakes  use  sweet  and  tart  apples,  chopped,  instead  of  berries. 

Oat  Meal  or  Scotch  Puffs. — One  quart  of  sweet  milk,  three  well 
beaten  eggs,  two  and  a  half  cups  of  oat  meal,  one  and  a  half  cups  of 
Graham  flour,  and  a  little  salt.     Use  a  medium-sized  cup.     Heat  and 
oil  the  gem  irons  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

Graham  Flour  Puffs. — One  quart  of  sweet  milk,  two  eggs,  flour 
to  make  a  thin  batter,  fill  the  gem  cups  two- thirds  full,  bake  in  a  quick 
oven. 

Rice  Griddle  Cakes. — Cook  half  a  teacupful  of  whole  rice  till  every 
grain  is  dissolved  and  like  jelly.  Warm  half  a  pint  of  rich  milk, 
put  in  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  stir  the  rice  into  the  milk  till  it 
Is  smoothly  mixed.  Bent  three  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  separately, 
till  very  light,  and  put  into  the  rice  and  milk  the  last  thing.  Bake 
jn  a  hot  greased  griddle  till  brown  and  light. 


182  JBECIPES, 

Indian  Griddles. — Two  cups  of  meal,  one  of  flour,  one  of  milk  • 
one  of  water,  one  egg  well  beaten,  two  teaspoonsful  of  cream  yeast 
sifted  into  the  meal  and  flour.     Mix  and  bake  on  hot  griddles, 

Graham  Gems. — You  are  supposed  to  have  the  baking  irons  oi 
'*  setting "  for  these  gems ;  else  we  don't  know  what  you  will  do. 
They  are  to  be  had  of  hardware  dealers  ;  at  least  no  kitchen  is  fur- 
nished without  them.  These  gems  are  displacing  all  other  kinds  of 
coarse  bread  on  our  table.  They  can  be  eaten  with  butter  or  without 
butter,  hot  or  cold,  morning,  noon,  and  night.  They  are  as  handy  as 
crackers  ;  are  just  what  you  want  for  children's  lunch,  and  to  fill  in 
when  you  are  making  up  a  picnic  basket.  They  are  not  only  hygienic, 
but  are  good  in  the  mouth.  They  have  an  almond-like  sweetness, 
and  their  fibre  is  like  that  of  nut-meats,  giving  the  teeth  just  the  ex- 
ercise they  crave.  No  taste  of  "  emptyings."  But  to  our  receipt, 
which  will  not  be  half  as  long  as  this  preamble.  Put  the  irons  in  the 
oven,  where  they  will  get  hot  by  the  time  you  have  mixed  the  gems. 
Then  take  milk  and  water,  half  and  half,  and  stir  in  Graham  flour. 
No.  1,  till  you  have  a  batter  that  will  "  drop  from  the  spoon  and  not 
run."  Stir  very  thoroughly,  the  more  the  better.  Drop  into  the  hot 
irons  and  bake  immediately.  (If  you  are  quick  you  can  take  the  irons 
out  of  the  oven  for  better  convenience  in  filling.)  The  oven  is  a  grand 
point.  It  should  have  a  solid  heat,  and  bake  as  fast  as  it  can  and  not 
burn.  "If  at  first  you  don't  succeed,  try,  try  again."  Make  the  bat- 
ter a  little  thicker  or  thinner,  the  oven  a  little  slower  or  quicker 
(quicker  more  likely).  There  is  a  way,  and  you  will  find  it,  and  then 
be  able  to  repeat  your  success  as  often  as  you  wish. 

Wheat  Meal  Unleavened  Cakes  (Gems). — To  one  quart  of  soft, 
cold  water,  add,  by  degrees,  three  pints  of  coarsely  ground  wheat 
meal.  Stir  rapidly,  with  a  large  spoon,  three  or  four  minutes,  so  as  to 
incorporate  a  large  amount  of  atmosphere.  Dip  out  into  iron  baking 
molds,  which  have  been  heated  hot  and  oiled.  Bake  immediately  in 
an  oven  as  hot  as  it  can  be  and  not  burn,  for  twenty  or  twenty-five 
minutes.  Diminish  the  heat  after  fifteen  minutes.  Iron  molds  are 
better  than  tin.  The  small  size,  about  three  inches  in  length,  and  one 
and  a  half  in  width,  is  better  than  the  larger  sizes.  The  proportions 
of  water  and  meal  in  this  formula  are  for  white  wheat.  For  red  wheat 
a  little  more  meal  is  necessary.  One-sixth  corn  meal  is  an  improve- 
ment, in  which  case  it  needs  a  heaping  measure  of  meal  to  the  water. 

Oat  Meal  and  Graham  Gems. — Mix  equal  parts  of  fine  Irish  oat 
meal  and  Graham  flour  into  a  thick  batter  with  milk  and  water  equal 
parts,  fill  hot  gem  irons  and  bake  with  a  brisk  heat.  Very  sweet  and 
tender. 

Wheat  Meal  Rolls. — Pour  boiling  water  on  unbolted  wheat 
meal,  stirring  rapidly  with  a  strong  spoon  or  stick.  The  dough 
ehould  be  scarcely  stiff  enough  to  retain  its  shape.  Of  this  take  por- 
tions about  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  and  roll  it  into  a  round  form  three 
or  four  inches  in  length  ;  a  plenty  of  dry  flour  to  prevent  sticking. 
Bake  at  onc«.     The  coating  of  flour  also  prevents  the  escape  of  a%r 


RECIPES.  183 

from  the  dough,  as  the  sudden  heat  of  baking  expands  it,  thus  making 
the  rolls  much  lighter.     Let  bake  in  a  very  hot  oven. 

Snow  Cakes  or  Bread. — First  cool  a  wooden  bowl,  in  this  put 
the  desired  quantity  of  corn  or  unbolted  wheat  meal,  mix  with  this 
twice  or  three  times  as  much  snow.  It  now  appears  like  dry  meal. 
Put  some  on  a  hot  griddle  ;  if  too  dry  to  turn  well  add  more  snow ;  if 
too  wet  to  be  light  add  more  meal ;  when  just  Hght  bake  the  same  as 
batter  cakes,  or  put  it  in  a  pan,  about  two  inches  deep — rounding  it 
from  the  edge — and  bake  in  a  quick  oven  twenty  minutes. 

Corn  Cakes. — Pour  hot  water  on  to  corn  meal  to  make  a  stiff  bat- 
ter ;  let  it  stand  over  night.  In  the  morning  add  milk  to  thin  it,  then 
stir  in  Graham  flour,  in  which  is  a  little  baking  powder,  until  it  is  the 
right  consistence  for  baking.  Bake  in  gem  pans,  and  they  will  be 
light  and  nice,  with  a  very  small  proportion  of  yeast  powder. 

Corn  Meal  Breakfast  Cake. — For  two  baking  tins  take  one  and 
a  half  pints  of  coarsely  ground  corn  meal.  Add  water  nearly  boiling, 
but  not  enough  to  wet  quite  all  of  the  corn  meal ;  add  cold  water,  a 
little  at  a  time,  stirring  thoroughly  between  whiles,  until  you  have  it 
BO  thin  that  it  has  a  tendency  to  settle  as  you  pour  it  into  your  pie 
tins.  It  should  not  be  more  than  half  an  inch  deep  in  the  tins,  and  it 
should  bake  quickly  in  a  hot  oven. 

Corn  Cake,  with  Fruit. — Pour  one  quart  boiling  water  on  one 
quart  corn  meal,  and  stir  quickly.  Wet  the  hands,  and  form  the 
dough  into  small  round  cakes  one-half  an  incli  thick.  Bake  in  a  hot 
oven.  The  addition  of  a  few  raspberries,  huckleberries,  or  any  other 
sub-acid  fruit,  is  a  decided  improvement.  Sweet  apples,  chopped 
fine,  are  also  excellent. 

Corn  and  Rye  Biscuits. — Pour  boiling  water  on  coarse  yellow 
corn  meal,  and  stir  to  the  consistency  of  a  thick  batter.  Immediately 
add  coarse  rye  meal  to  make  into  a  very  soft  dough  ;  form  into  small, 
flat  biscuits  (fifteen  to  a  baking  pan)  with  the  hands  frequently  wet  in 
cold  water,  and  bake  immediately  in  a  hot  oven.  They  are  very  nice 
for  variety,  and  are  best  made  of  equal  parts  of  corn  and  rye.  Bake 
thirty  minutes  or  more. 

Wheat  Meal  Crisps. — Wet  unbolted  wheat  meal  with  boiling 
water,  and  form  a  stiff  dough.  Grease,  or  sprinkle  flour  on  a  nice 
sheet  of  iron — the  bottom  of  a  smooth  sheet-iron  pan  would  answer — 
on  this  roll  out  the  dough  as  thin  as  possible,  mark  into  convenient 
squares,  and  bake  in  a  slow  oven.  When  rightly  baked  they  will  not 
curl  or  blister.  Invalids  with  the  poorest  leeth,  whose  state  of  health 
may  require  dry  food,  can  eat  them. 

Wheat  Meal  Biscuits. — Pour  boiling  soft  water  upon  coarse 
white-wheat  meal,  stir  with  a  spoon  to  a  dough  as  soft  as  it  can  be 
managed,  by  the  exercise  of  skill,  upon  a  molding  board.  Roll  to  an 
inch  in  thickness,  cut  with  a  bisc^iit  cutter,  prick  and  bake  immedi- 
ately in  an  oven  hotter  than  is  necessary  for  the  two  preceding.     It 


184  BECIPES. 

will  take  half  an  hour  to  bake.    If  made  of  red  wheat  it  must  bo 
Btiffer  and  baited  longer. 

Good  Unleavened  Bread. — Take  half  the  flour  you  intend  using, 
and  pour  on  boiling  milk  (be  sure  it  boils) ;  have  it  about  the  consist- 
ency of  batter  that  you  would  have  for  making  pancakes  ;  let  thia 
stand  till  cool  enough  to  work  ;  then  knead  in  the  rest  of  your  flour, 
just  sufficiently  stiff  to  mold  on  a  board.  One  hour  in  a  middling  hot 
oven  is  sufficient  for  baking. 

Dr.  Jenkins's  Graham  Crackers.— Procure  the  whitest  and 
cleanest  wheat  (Canada  wheat  is  best),  have  the  crackers  made  by  a 
baker.  Mix  with  nothing  but  pure,  soft  water,  and  thoroughly  re- 
duce the  mass  in  a  baker's  break,  as  for  making  other  crackers.  Have 
them  rolled  very  thin,  no  more  than  half  as  thick  as  soda  crackers,  cut 
in  the  form  and  the  size  of  soda  crackers,  and  bake  quickly  until  a  pale 
yellow.  These  will  keep  six  months  if  placed  in  a  dry,  cool,  sweet 
store  room.  They  are  fresher  and  more  tender  to  place  them  iu  u.  hot 
even  a  few  moments  before  bringing  them  to  the  table. 

Graham  Crackers. — Wet  the  best  of  Graham  flour  with  cold 
milk,  adding  about  a  fifth  proportion  of  thick  cream,  or  a  little  butter 
if  cream  is  not  to  be  had.  Mix  as  soft  as  can  be  handled  ;  knead  very 
thoroughly,  say  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  ;  roll  thin  ;  cut  iri  three- 
inch-square  cards ;  lay,  so  they  will  not  touch  each  other,  on  a  hot 
sheet-iron  pan,  and  bake  quickly,  say  ten  to  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes, 
according  to  thickness.  Handle  carefully  while  hot,  and  pack  away, 
when  cold,  in  tin  cans  or  stone  jars  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Apple-Corn  Pone. — Pare  and  chop  fine  a  quart  of  sweet  apples. 
Scald  a  quart  of  corn  meal  with  a  pint  of  boiling  water  ;  add  new 
milk  enough  to  make  a  stiff  batter,  then  stir  in  the  apples.  Bake 
slowly  in  a  close  vessel  three  hours.  Butter  the  dish  well.  This  is 
very  nice,  boiled  the  same  length  of  time  in  a  pudding-mold  or  bag. 
But  it  is  never  so  good  as  when  baked  in  an  old-fashioned  kettle  with 
a  close-fitting  lid,  with  live  coals  from  the  fire  heaped  on  top  and 
under  the  kettle.  The  thick  brown  crusts  are  delicious,  with  cream  or 
milk. 

Steamed  Brown  Bread. — One  quart  of  rye  meal,  one  pint  of  Indian 
meal,  one  cup  of  molasses,  one  teaspoonf ul  of  sifted  cream  yeast  stirred 
in  the  molasses,  a  little  salt.  Stir  soft  with  cold  water,  steam  three 
hours,  and  dry  off  in  the  overi  fifteen  minutes. 

Brown  Bread. — The  sweetest  bread  ever  made. — Take  three 
pints  of  coarse  yellow  corn  meal,  scald  it  with  three  pints  and  a  half 
of  boiling  water,  add  two  pints  of  coarse  rye  meal  after  the  corn  hag 
cooled.  Knead  thoroughly  with  the  hands,  Take  it  out  into  a  stone- 
ware  crock,  or  pot,  which  is  a  little  larger  at  the  top.  The  quantity  here 
given  will  take  a  vessel  which  holds  five  or  six  quarts.  Place  it  imme- 
diately in  the  oven  after  smoothing  over  the  top  with  a  spoon  fre- 
quently dipped  in  cold  water.  Cover  with  a  stone  or  iron  plate,  and 
have  but  little  heat  in  the  oven.  It  should  take  three  hours  to  begin 
to  bake,  then  bake  slowly  four  hours.    Leave  the  loaf  in  until  th« 


EECIPE8.  185 

oven  cools  off,  if  it  is  several  hours  longer.  It  should  be  dark-«olored, 
light  and  firm,  with  a  good  soft  crust.  A  round-bottomed  iron  kettle 
wlQ  do  to  bake  in.    Try  it. 

Yajstkee  Brown  Bread. — Take  equal  quantities  of  rye  and  corn 
meal,  and  mix  with  water,  making  a  dough  that  can  be  kneaded. 
Work  with  the  hands  until  it  loses  its  stickiness,  and  will  readily 
cleave  from  the  fingers.  Let  it  stand  several  hours,  or  over  night,  and 
bake  in  loaves,  in  covered  dishes,  in  a  moderate  oven,  from  three  to 
five  hours.  Or,  it  may  be  steamed  three  hours,  and  baked  one. 
Coarsely  ground  meal  is  better  than  fine  for  this  kind  of  bread. 

Apple  Brown  Bread. — Work  equal  parts  of  corn  and  rye  meal 
into  stewed  apples  until  the  entire  mass  is  thoroughly  mixed,  and  bake 
as  above.     Or,  thin  with  water  to  a  batter,  and  bake  on  the  griddle. 

How  TO  Make  Oat  Meal  Cakes. — The  Rural  Cyclopedia,  pub- 
lished at  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  gives  the  following  receipt  for  making 
oat  meal  cakes.     Well  made  they  are  delicious. 

"  As  much  meal  as  will  make  a  sheet  24  or  30  inches  in  diameter 
and  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  is  put  into  a  wooden  basin, 
with  a  suliiciency  of  water  for  working  the  meal  into  a  light  paste. 
The  meal  and  water  are  mixed  by  tne  fingers  of  the  right  hand, 
while  the  basin  is  turned  constantly  round  by  the  left  hand,  till  the 
paste  is  made  ;  the  paste  is  then  turned  out  on  a  clean  board,  or 
table,  and  alternately  kneaded  with  the  knuckles  of  both  hands, 
sprinkled  with  meal,  gathered  up,  kneaded  and  sprinkled,  and 
kneaded  again  and  again,  till  it  becomes  a  well  kneaded  and  homo- 
geneous dough ;  the  dough  is  then  flattened  out  with  the  knuckles 
into  a  circular  cake  of  half  an  inch,  or  less,  in  thickness,  and  imme- 
diately afterward  distended  with  a  roller  into  a  sheet  of  about  one- 
eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness  ;  and  the  sheet  is  then  pared  round  the 
edges  and  cut  into  three  or  four  parts  from  the  centre  with  a  knife. 
The  parts  of  the  cut  sheet  of  dough  are  fired,  or  half  baked,  first  on 
the  one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  upon  a  thin  circular  plate  of  iron, 
called  a  griddle  or  girdle;  and  then  they  are  toasted,  or  whole 
baked,  by  being  placed  on  their  edge  on  a  toaster  close  before  the 
fire,  with  first  the  one  side  and  then  the  other  exposed  to  the  heat. 
Some  butter  is  sometimes  mixed  with  the  paste,  to  render  the  cakes 
*  fresh  '  and  highly  relishable,  and  occasionally  a  few  caraway  seeds 
also  are  added,  but  in  the  estimation  of  racy,  unsophisticated  cake- 
eaters,  all  such  admixtures  are  an  abomination." 

A  Scotchman  writing  to  the  New  York  Observer  in  reference  to  these 
cakes  and  oat  meal  generally,  says  : 

"The  favorite  accompaniment  to  this  is  sweet  milk,  dipped  with 
the  spoon  (which  has  previously  taken  up  and  contains  a  portion  ol 
thjo  porridge)  out  of  a  separate  dish  from  the  porridge." 

Oat  Meal  Breakfast  Cakes. — This  is  made  of  No.  2  oat  meal, 
with  water  enough  to  saturate  it,  and  little  or  no  salt.  Pour  it  into 
a  baking  tin  half  an  inch  or  three-quarters  deep,  shake  it  down  level, 
and  when  this  is  done  it  should  be  so  wet  that  two  or  three  spoonsful 
of  watei  should  run  freely  on  the  surface.     Put  it  in  a  quick  over 


186 


RECIPES. 


and  bake  twenty  minutes.  Eat  warm.  It  will  be  as  light  and  tendei 
as  the  best  "  Johnny  cake,"  or  else  you  have  wet  it  too  much  oi 
baked  it  too  long.  This  is  one  of  the  most  accommodating  baked 
dishes  that  can  be  made.  It  will  do  very  nicely  with  a  little  longei 
time  if  the  oven  is  not  quite  hot.  If  it  will  not  bake  there  at  all, 
pour  it  into  a  frying  pan,  cover  it  close  and  set  it  on  the  top  of  tha 
stove,  where  it  will  even  bake  in  fifteen  minutes. 

For  a  hurried  breakfast  and  a  slow  coal  fire  it  is  invaluable.  Scarcely 
any  wholesome  thing  in  the  whole  bread  line  can  be  prepared  more 
readily.  It  can  be  made  still  thinner  and  baked  quicker.  It  is  good 
either  crisp  or  moist.  For  emergencies  alone  every  housekeeper  will 
find  it  convenient  to  be  able  to  make  the  breakfast  cake.  Many  use 
oat  meal  mixed  with  buckwheat,  wheat  or  corn,  for  griddle  cakes. 
For  this  use  I  prefer  it  cooked  first.  Take,  say  one-half  pint  of  the 
porridge  or  the  mush,  diffuse  it  in  one  quart  of  water,  and  add  the 
wheat  meal,  sifting  it  in  and  stirring  slowly. 

Oat  Meal  Cake. — Take  one  pint  of  oatmeal,  and  just  warm  watei 
enough  to  stir  up  a  batter  like  griddle  cakes.  Pour  it  into  a  shallow 
baking  pan,  and  bake  for  twenty  minutes  in  a  hot  oven.  Or,  if  pref- 
erable, bake  it  in  small  cakes  on  the  griddle,  first  putting  in  a  hand- 
ful of  wheat  flour  and  a  little  more  water.  The  cold  porridge  will 
also  make  delicious  griddle  cakes. 

Cream  Toast. — Boil  a  pint  and  a  half  of  cream  or  new  milk  and 
thicken  with  a  tablespoonf ul  of  flour  or  corn  starch,  add  a  little  salt. 
Toast  slices  of  stale  bread  quickly,  of  an  even  brown  on  both  sides, 
lay  them  in  the  toast  dish  and  dip  over  them  a  plentiful  supply  of 
the  hot  thickened  cream ;  add  another  layer  of  toast  and  then  more 
cream. 

Another  Way. — Cut  smooth  slices  of  stale  bread  less  than  half  an 
inch  thick,  toast  a  delicate  brown,  put  the  plate  into  the  oven  and 
heat  it  quite  warm,  lay  the  toast  into  the  plate  and  pour  over  it  cold, 
sweet  cream,  and  the  toast  is  ready  to  be  eaten.  For  invalids  and 
children  with  dainty  appetites,  this  is  very  nice  and  easily  digested. 
Some  light  fruit  jelly  will  add  to  the  relish  and  still  be  wholesome. 

Norwegian  Oat  Meal  Porridge. — Take  two  or  three  handfuls 
of  meal,  mixed,  coarse  and  fine,  in  proportion  of  one-third  latter  to  two 
of  the  former.  Mix  in  a  basin  of  cold  water  and  pour  into  a  pan  con- 
taining about  a  quart  of  boiling  water,  adding  a  small  portion  of  salt. 
Set  on  the  fire,  and  keep  stirring,  adding  from  time  to  time  small 
doses  of  meal  until  it  boils  and  has  acquired  a  proper  consistency ; 
which  may  be  known  by  its  glutinous  state,  as  it  drops  from  the 
spoon.  Let  it  simmer  ten  minutes,  then  pour  into  common  dinner 
plates.  Spoon  out  portions  and  float  in  new  milk,  adding  sugar  to 
taste. 

Oat  Meal  Cracknels. — Take  the  finest  quality  of  oatmeal,  and 
Btir  in  barley  water  enough  to  wet  it  through  ;  let  it  stand  twenty 
minutes  to  swell  then  roll  it  out  to  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  thickness, 
first  flouring  the  board  and  rolling  pin  with  wheat  flour.  Cut  it  with 
a  biscuit  cutter  and  bake  in  a  moderately  hot  oven,  as  these  cakes 


BEcrPES,  187 

will  bum  quickly,  and  only  require  to  be  of  the  slightest  brown. 
They  will  snap  easily  between  the  fingers,  and  are  delicious,  requir- 
ing  no  butter  to  make  them  palatable.  If  put  into  a  close  jar  they 
will  keep  for  several  months.  In  the  Highlands  of  Scotland  they 
preserve  their  cracknels,  or  bannocks,  as  they  call  them,  in  the  barrels 
of  oatmeal  for  a  year  or  so. 

Another  way  to' make  cracknels,  is  to  mix  oatmeal  to  a  stifE  batter 
with  cold  water,  and  let  it  stand  several  hours.  Or  mix  with  sweet 
milk  and  let  it  stand  until  it  swells  (do  not  let  it  sour),  then  pour  it 
into  bake  pans  and  bake  twenty  minutes.  They  should  be  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  thick  and  a  light  brown  color  when  done. 

Oat  Meal  and  Cocoanut  Cracknels. — Oatmeal  mixed  with 
grated  cocoanut  produces  a  very  attractive  cake  to  both  old  and 
young.  Take  three  heaping  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  cocoanut,  or 
two  of  the  prepared  "dessicated  "  cocoanut;  add  to  it  half  a  pint 
of  the  finest  oatmeal  and  two  heaping  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar;  stir 
it  into  one  gill  of  boiling  water,  and  mix  it  thoroughly  together ; 
turn  out  on  the  rolling  board,  well  floured,  and  roll  it  as  thin  and 
cut  out  as  for  common  cracknels,  put  a  bit  of  citron  and  half  a  dozen 
currants  into  each  cake,  sticking  them  into  the  dough.  Bake  in  a 
slow  oven  and  watch  carefully  lest  they  brown  a  shade  too  deep. 
To  make  them  crispy  let  them  stand  a  day  in  an  uncovered  dish.  A 
very  palatable  pie  crust  can  be  made  from  the  dough  of  oatmeal 
cracknels  by  wetting  it  a  little  thinner ;  or  in  preparing  it,  add  just 
half  the  measure  of  meal  in  hot  water.  Add  no  butter  or  lard,  sim- 
ply a  little  salt ;  roll  out  thin,  and  make  the  pie  of  cooked  fruits,  as 
this  kind  of  paste  bakes  very  quickly,  and  if  the  fruit  requires  cook- 
ing it  would  become  too  hard  and  brown.  Most  persons  who  eschew 
all  kinds  of  pies  can  eat  those  made  of  oatmeal  without  fear  or 
trembling,  and  they  will  soon  learn  to  consider  oatmeal  an  invalu- 
able addition  to  their  tables. 

Onion  Toast. — Boil  some  onions  of  moderate  size  ;    change  the 
water  twice  in  boiling ;  salt  in  the  last  water.   When  nicely  done  take 
out  with  a  skimmer.   Make  a  gravy  such  as  you  make  for  cream  toast 
Toast  slices  of  bread,  lay  them  in  a  dish,  put  the  onions  on  the  slices, 
one  on  a  slice,  and  pour  the  gravy  over  both. 

Note. — The  onions  will  cook  in  half  the  time  if  you  cut  them  into  three  or  four 
■lices  before  you  put  them  into  the  water. 

Egg  Toast. — Break  the  eggs  carefully  into  water  boiling  hot,  but 
not  really  boiling.  Let  them  simmer  till  they  are  delicately  cooked  or 
till  the  yolks  are  covered  with  a  white  film,  then  take  up  with  a  skim- 
mer and  lay  on  slices  of  buttered  or  cream  toast.  Salt  the  water  in 
which  the  eggs  are  boiled,  and  see  that  it  covers  the  eggs.  Butter  and 
pepper  may  be  added  on  the  table. 

TO  COOK  EGGS. 

Boiled  Eggs. — Boil  three  minutes  by  the  watch,  and  you  have  th« 
central  or  yellow  part  soft  boiled,  while  the  white  is  hard,  unpalatable 
and  diflficult  of  digestion. 


^  88  BKCIPES. 

Place  the  eggs  in  water  **  milkwarm,"  or  a  little  wamiei.  In  foiLl 
or  five  minutes  pour  off  the  water,  and  immediately  pour  on  boiling 
water  to  cover  the  eggs,  and  in  five  minutes  they  will  be  cooked. 

If  boiling  water  is  poured  on  cold  eggs  in  a  cold  dish,  it  will  be  so 
suddenly  cooled  that  the  eggs  will  not  be  cooked,  but  treat  them  as 
above  directed,  and  you  will  find  them  thoroughly  cooked,  yet  soft 
and  palatable. 

The  Queen's  Omelet. — Place  in  the  frying  pan  about  one  ounce 
of  butter.  Break  three  eggs,  separately,  to  see  they  are  fresh ;  beat 
them  up  with  a  little  chopped  parsley  and  a  pinch  of  pepper  and  salt. 
The  eggs  should  not  be  beaten  too  much,  or  the  white  of  them  sepa- 
rates, and  you  produce  a  watery  mixture  which  destroys  the  flavor  and 
appearance  of  the  omelet.  Now  the  butter  is  melted,  pour  in  the  fry- 
ing pan  the  omelet  mixture  and  stir  till  it  begins  to  set  or  thicken, 
shake  the  pan  occasionally,  and  fold  over  the  omelet  neatly  into  an 
oval  shape,  and  when  it  is  of  a  golden  color  turn  quickly  into  a  dish. 
To  be  able  to  prepare  a  plain  omelet  is  to  be  able  to  prepare  every 
kind  of  omelet.  If  you  require  a  cheese  omelet,  introduce  into  the 
omelet  mixture  about  a  dessert  spoonful  of  grated  cheese,  with  a  little 
pepper  and  salt,  and  sometimes  a  few  grains  of  cayenne  pepper.  In  a 
sweet  omelet  no  pepper  or  salt,  but  a  little  grated  sugar ;  and  just  be- 
fore the  omelet  is  folded  in  the  pan  distribute  evenly  over  a  little  jam 
In  preparing  an  omelet,  remember  five  things— a  clean  pan  ;  the  mix- 
ture must  not  be  too  much  beaten  ;  the  omelet  must  not  be  too 
large ;  three  eggs  are  better  than  six  eggs,  which  make  two  omelets  ; 
they  should  not  be  too  much  cooked  ;  they  should  be  eaten  immedi- 
ately, or  they  become  tough,  and  more  like  a  pancake. 

Dkopped  Eggs. — Have  ready  a  saucepan  of  boiling  water.  Drop 
fresh  eggs  carefully  into  the  water  so  as  not  to  break  the  yolks.  Let 
them  stand  where  they  will  keep  hot,,  but  not  boil,  until  the  white 
sets.  Toast  slices  of  bread  and  lay  in  a  dish,  and  pour  over  it  a  gill 
of  hot  cream  with  a  little  salt ;  then  take  out  the  eggs  with  an  egg- 
slice  or  tablespoon,  and  put  on  to  the  bread  with  parsley,  if  you 
like. 

Baked  Omelet. — Boil  half  a  pint  of  cream,  or  rich  milk  ;  beat 
six  eggs  thoroughly — they  will  be  nicer  if  the  whites  and  yolks  are 
beaten  separately  ;  have  a  deep  dish  hot  and  buttered  ;  stir  the  beaten 
eggs,  with  a  little  salt,  into  the  cream  ;  put  all  quickly  into  the  dish, 
and  bake  from  five  to  ten  minutes,  depending  upon  the  condition  of 
the  oven.  It  should  be  lightly  browned,  and  taken  directly  to  the 
table  in  the  dish. 

Scrambled  Eggs. — Have  a  spider  hot  and  buttered.  Break  as 
many  eggs  as  you  wish  to  cook  into  a  dish,  being  careful  not  to  break 
the  yolks.  Slip  the  eggs  into  the  spider,  sprinkle  over  a  very  little 
salt,  and  add  a  lump  of  butter  the  size  of  a  nutmeg  for  half  a  dozen 
eggs,  or  three  tablespoonf uls  of  rich  cream.  When  the  eggs  begin  to ' 
whiten,  stir  them  carefully  from  the  bottom,  until  cooked  to  suit.  The 
yolks  and  whites  should  separate,  though  stirred  together.  Care 
should  be  taken  not  to  have  the  spider  too  hot. 


BKCIPES.  189 

Bakrd  Egos. — Take  a  common  white  dish  with  a  smooth  bottom, 
and  large  enough  to  hold  the  eggs  you  wish  to  cook  ;  do  not  crowd 
them.  Set  the  dish  into  the  oven  till  quite  hot,  then  butter  it ;  have 
the  eggs  broken,  and  slip  them  carefully  into  the  dish  ;  sprinkle  a 
little  salt  over  them,  and  put  directly  into  a  quick  oven  and  bake 
three  or  five  minutes.  Butter  and  pepper  may  be  added,  if  desired, 
when  they  are  cooked.  A  tablespoonful  of  cream  to  two  eggs,  when 
they  are  first  set  to  bake,  is  nice. 

PREPARATIONS  OF  CHEESE. 

Cheese  and  Bread  Toast. — Grate  half  a  cup  of  good  cheese — 
use  your  crumbs  and  dry  pieces — mix  with  it  one  cup  of  grated  bread 
and  the  yolk  of  one  egg,  half  a  spoonful  of  butter,  and  three  spoonfuls 
of  rich  cream.  Add  a  salt  spoonful  of  salt,  and  a  sprinkle  of  cayenne 
and  mustard  if  desired.  Toast  two  or  three  slices  of  bread,  spread  the 
cheese  mixture  on  quite  thick,  put  into  the  oven  a  minute  or  two,  and 
send  to  the  table  hot.  Or  lay  on  a  top  slice,  and  make  a  sandwich. 
Take  a  sharp  knife  and  cut  into  four  pieces. 

Cottage  Cheese. — This  is  a  farmer's  dish,  but  should  and  would 
be  eaten  and  appreciated  by  all  classes  if  they  knew  how  wholesome 
and  digestible  it  is.  Those  who  have  plenty  of  milk  and  make  butter, 
have  an  abundance  of  sour  or  clabbered  milk  daily,  clean  and  fresh. 
Skim  the  cream  off  for  the  churn,  and  set  a  gallon  or  two  of  the  milk 
on  the  stove  in  a  milk  pan,  and  let  it  gradually  warm  till  it  is  luke- 
warm all  through .  Stir  it  occasionally  to  prevent  its  hardening  at  the 
bottom,  and  when  it  is  a  little  warmer  than  new  milk,  and  the  whey 
begins  to  show  clear  around  the  curd,  pour  it  all  into  a  coarse  thin 
bag,  tie  close,  and  hang  up  to  strain.  Let  it  hang  two  or  three  hours 
in  a  cool,  shady  place,  then  take  from  the  bag  and  put  in  a  covered 
dish.  When  preparing  the  rest  of  a  meal,  mix  with  the  curd  rich 
sweet  cream,  sugar,  and  nutmeg.  Some  prefer  salt  and  pepper,  but 
the  sugar  gives  it  the  place  of  fruits  or  acids.  This  preparation  of 
milk  will  often  be  found  most  salutary  and  wholesome  for  dyspeptics 
and  weak  inflamed  stomachs.  The  clabber  is  also  very  nutritious  and 
easily  digested. 

SANDWICHES. 

Sandwiches  are  very  useful  to  put  in  your  bag  or  your  pocket 
when  you  are  not  likely  to  be  able  to  procure  your  usual  meal. 

Cheese  Sandwiches. — Take  two-thirds  of  good  cheese,  grated, 
and  one-third  of  butter  ;  add  a  little  cream ;  pound  all  together  m 
a  mortar  ;  then  spread  it  on  slices  of  brown  bread  or  gems  ;  lay 
another  slice  over  each  ;  press  them  gently  together,  and  cut  in  smrll 
square  pieces. 

Egg  Saft^wiches. — Boil  fresh  eggs  five  minutes ;  put  them  la 
cold  water,  and  when  quite  cold  peel  them,  and  after  taking  a  litOl^ 
of  the  white  off  each  end  of  the  eggs,  cut  the  remainder  in  four  slicea 
Lay  them  between  bread  and  butter. 

3* 


190  RECIPES. 

Fried  Egg  Sandwiches. — Beat  some  eggs  well ;  fry  them  in  bu  t 
ter  as  a  pancake.  When  cold,  cut  in  smaU  square  pieces,  and  lay 
them  between  brown  bread  and  butter. 

Omelet  Sandwiches. — Take  four  eggs,  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
bread  crumbs,  and  one  half  ounce  of  chopped  parsley.  After  beating 
ihe  eggs  well,  add  the  bread  crumbs,  then  the  parsley,  and  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  water.  Season,  and  fry  it  in  small  fritters,  and  when 
cold  put  them  betweea  brown  bread  and  butter. 

VEGETABLES. 

All  green  vegetables  should  be  as  fresh  as  possible.  Put  them  into 
cold  water  with  some  salt  in  it,  for  about  ten  minutes,  to  clear  from 
soil  or  insects.  If  not  quite  fresh,  let  them  remain  in  the  water  some 
time  longer ;  drain  in  a  colander,  and  put  them  into  a  pan  with  plenty 
of  boiling  water,  adding  salt,  and  a  small  piece  of  soda  ;  cover  the  pan 
till  boiling,  but  not  afterward  ;  then  boil  quickly,  and  carefully  remove 
any  scum  which  may  rise.  Do  not  allow  them  to  remain  in  the  water 
after  they  are  done,  but  immediately  drain  them  in  a  colander,  and 
finish  each  kind,  as  directed  in  recipes.  Peas  and  spinach  do  not  re- 
quire so  much  water  as  most  other  green -ssegetables,  but  only  just  suf- 
ficient to  cover  them.  Cauliflowers  and  brocoli  require  especial  care  in 
boiling,  as  the  flower  is  easily  broken  and  their  appearance  spoiled; 
boil  them  quickly  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  moderately  till  tender, 
which  may  be  easily  ascertained  by  trying  the  stem  with  a  fork.  All 
vessels  used  in  cooking  vegetables  should  be  particularly  clean.  Soft 
is  preferable  to  hard  water  in  cooking  all  kinds  of  vegetables.  Pota- 
toes are  in  universal  use,  and  yet  how  few  know  how  to  cook  them 
well !  "  A  well-boiled  potato  is  a  thing  purely  ideal — it  has  never 
come  out  of  the  poj,  in  the  experience  of  living  man."  This  is  too 
strong;  but  there  is  very  much  room  for,  and  need  of,  improvement  in 
the  science  of  cooking  a  potato.  To  do  it  well,  the  matter  must  be  studied, 
and  not  performed  by  routine.  They  differ  very  much,  even  those 
grown  in  the  same  field  and  from  the  same  seed.  A  good  potato,  well 
cooked  and  served  up,  is  a  luxury,  which,  unfortunately,  few  people 
know  how  to  accomplish,  or  will  not  give  themselves  the  trouble  to  do. 

Potatoes. — Those  grown  on  virgin  soil,  of  a  middle  size,  and 
floury,  are  to  be  preferred.  They  should  be  as  nearly  as  possible  of 
one  size,  well  washed,  but  not  pared.  They  should  be  put  into  a  ves- 
sel of  cold  water  for  an  hour,  then  put  into  fresh  water,  and  boiled  in 
a  kettle  or  saucepan,  closely  covered,  in  the  most  expeditious  manner 
possible  ;  or  they  should  be  steamed,  which  would  be  still  better.  If 
boiled,  no  more  water  should  be  used  than  merely  to  cover  them,  as 
they  produce  a  considerable  quantity  of  fluid.  When  they  are  done, 
the  water  should  be  instantly  poured  off,  and  the  kettle  containing  the 
cooked  potatoes  be  placed  on  the  side  of  the  fire  with  a  cover  on,  and 
*  cloth  over  them,  until  the  steam  is  absorbed,  and  rendered  quite  dry 
and  mealy  before  they  are  sent  to  the  table. 

Baked  Potatoes. — Have  a  hot  baking  oven,  select  and  wash  pota- 
toes of  uniform  size,  and  put  them  moist  into  a  clean  oven.     Do  no^ 


BECIPES.  191 

op<m  the  oven  if  you  can  avoid  it  for  half  an  hour  ;  try  if  they  are  done 
in  a  towel.    Eat  them  hot. 

Potato  Balls.  — (For  Breakfast). — Boil  and  mash  a  douhle  quan- 
tity  of  potatoes  for  dinner,  season  with  sweet  cream  and  a  little  salt : 
work  in  two  fresh  eggs  to  a  quart.  Mold  into  little  balls,  prick  the 
tops,  and  lay  away  in  the  cold  on  a  plate.  In  the  morning  put  on  bak- 
ing pan  and  set  into  the  oven  until  done  to  a  delicate  brown,  which  re 
quires  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes. 

Potatoes  are  a  standard  article  of  food  on  most  tables,  but  they 
are  often  so  badly  cooked  that  they  are  neither  palatable  nor  whole- 
some. As  a  breakfast  dish  they  are  excellent.  We  like  them  pre- 
pared thus  :  Select  the  smaller  ones — leaving  the  larger  ones  for  din- 
ner— scrape  off  the  skins  of  new  potatoes,  put  them  into  cold  water 
for  ten  minutes,  have  water  boiling,  and  cook  them  twenty  minutes  ; 
pour  ofE  the  water  and  add  a  cup  of  milk  or  cream,  and  thicken  it  witlx 
a  little  flour  and  butter  rubbed  together.  Butter  never  floats  on  the 
surface  when  mixed  with  flour  thus,  nor  does  the  flour  trouble  you 
with  lumps.  It  is  just  as  well,  however,  to  leave  out  the  butter,  mix- 
ing the  flour  with  a  little  cream. 

Potatoes  should  always  be  put  into  bailing  water  to  cook,  boil 
quickly  and  pour  off  the  water,  letting  them  dry  a  few  ininutes  over 
the  fire  before  dishing  up;  Steaming  is  the  best  manner  of  cooking 
them. 

Mashed  Potatoes  should  be  left  in  the  kettle  after  draining  and 
drying  as  above,  and  mashed  thoroughly  over  the  fire  ;  add  a  little 
milk  or  cream,  and  they  will  be  light  as  a  sponge  and  white  as  flour. 
Never  put  butter  into  them. 

Steam  Squash. — Squash  cooked  in  a  steamer  over  a  little  water 
Is  much  nicer  than  when  boiled.  I  never  boil  squash.  It  may  be  cut 
In  large  pieces  and  cooked  in  a  kettle  with  a  small  steamer  in  the  bot- 
tom and  half  a  pint  of  water;  fill  the  kettle  with  squash  and  keep 
closely  covered  till  well  cooked,  taking  care  not  to  let  it  burn.  A  very 
hot  fire  is  not  so  good  for  cooking  as  a  slow,  moderate  heat.  May  be 
placed  on  the  table  warm  or  cold,  mashed  or  not,  as  preferred. 

Many  kinds  of  squash,  especially  late  and  winter  squashes,  are 
better  baked  than  any  other  way — they  are  quite  equal  to  sweet  pota- 
toes when  baked  in  a  close  kettle  so  as  to  partly  steam  them.  Cut  in 
slices  three  quarters  of  an  inch  thick. 

Raw  Tomatoes. — The  simplest  and  one  of  the  most  wholesome 
modes  of  preparing  tomatoes  is  to  remove  the  skins  by  scalding,  cut 
them  in  slices  and  season  to  the  taste.  To  our  taste  powdered  loaf 
sugar  makes  the  best  seasoning.  The  tomatoes  should  be  solid,  like 
the  Trophy,  and  perfectly  ripe.  As  a  substitute  for  fruit,  they  an- 
Bwer  a  good  purpose,  especially  the  yellow  and  white  varietiea 

Stewed  Tomatoes. — Let  the  tomatoes  be  well  ripened,  scald  them 
and  remove  the  skins,  cut  into  small  pieces,  put  into  a  saucepan,  with 
a  little  salt  and  butter,  and  cook  till  well  done,  but  no  longer.  Peppei 
may  be  added  if  agreeable.    Aa  a  substitute   for  fruit,  omit  the  pep* 


192  2ECIPB». 

per  and  sweet(3n  to  the  taste  with  white  sugar.    In  thia  case  Dixie  an-5 
White  Apple  tomatoes  are  best,  as  the j  have  a  decidedly  f ruitj  flavor. 

Bboiled  Tomatoes. — First  raise  your  tomato.  If  not  quite  ripe, 
no  matter ;  cut  in  two  flat-wise  ;  put  it  skin  down,  on  a  hot  iron  and  in 
a  few  minutes  (seasoned  to  your  taste)  you  have  a  dish  that  is  pretty, 
wholesome  and  delicious — tomatoes  on  the  half  shell. 

We  have  tried  it.  Those  who  have  not,  do  not  yet  know  how  ex- 
quisite a  morsel  the  tomato  is  capable  of  being  made.  With  a  little 
pepper  and  salt,  or,  better  still,  with  butter  and  sugar,  broiled  toma- 
toes furnish  a  dish  fit  for  the  gods. 

Note. — This  manner  of  preparing  tomatoes  is  indeed  excellent.  We  toast  slices 
of  bread  nice  and  brown,  butter  them  a  little,  and  lay  on  to  them  the  broiled 
tomatoes  ;  put  half  a  teacupful  of  cream  into  the  dish  around  the  toast,  and  set  it 
into  the  oven  a  few  minutes*  before  takinor  to  the  table. 


-"o 


Tomatoes  should  be  sliced  and  boiled  in  their  own  juice  without 
water.  They  should  boil  briskly.  Twenty  minutes  suffices  for  a 
quart.  If  boiled  much  longer  it  injures  their  peculiar  flavor.  Sea- 
son when  ready  to  take  up. 

Baked  Tomatoes. — One  quart  of  fresh  round  tomatoes.  Scald 
and  peel  carefully,  so  as  not  to  break  the  tomato  ;  put  into  a  deep  dish, 
and  season  with  a  little  salt  and  cayenne.  Roll  a  teacupful  of  crackers 
and  spread  over  the  top  ;  cover  lightly,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven  half 
or  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  Two  or  three  lumps  of  butter,  the  size 
of  a  Lima  bean,  may  be  dropped  into  the  dish  just  before  dishing  up. 
Slip  them  out  carefully,  the  brown  side  up,  or  leave  them  in  the  bak- 
ing dish. 

Scalloped  Tomatoes. — Peel  as  many  large  ripe  tomatoes  as  you 
cvish  to  prepare  ;  cut  them  into  slices  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick.  Pack 
m  a  pudding  dish  first  a  layer  of  tomatoes,  then  a  thick  layer  of  bread 
crumbs,  salt,  and  a  little  white  sugar  and  butter,  then  a  layer  of  to- 
matoes, then  bread  crumbs,  etc.,  till  the  dish  is  nearly  full,  having 
tomatoes  last.  Now  dust  over  pepper,  a  little  sugar  and  butter,  strew 
the  top  with  bread  crumbs,  and  bake  {covered)  half  an  hour  ;  then  re- 
move the  cover  and  bake  brown,  but  be  careful  not  to  scorch. 

Corn  Oysters. — One  quart  of  grated  corn,  three  eggs  well  beaten, 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  with  flour  enough  to  make  them  stick  to- 
gether. Drop  from  a  spoon  into  a  hot  buttered  frying  pan,  making 
cakes  the  size  of  an  oyster.  A  cup  of  sour  milk,  with  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful of  soda,  will  answer  if  eggs  are  not  plenty. 

Green  Corn  on  the  Cob. — Remove  the  husks  and  silk  from  full- 
grown  ears  of  corn  in  which  the  milk  is  well  developed.  Put  them 
into  sufficient  boiling  water  to  cover.  Boil  gently  in  a  covered  kettle 
from  twenty  to  thirty  minutes,  according  to  the  age  of  the  corn.  It  ia 
better  cooked  by  steam  for  half  an  hour.  Corn  which  requires  more 
than  half  an  hour  to  cook  is  not  good. 

Corn  when  Cut  from  the  Cob. — Split  the  kernels  of  corn  before 
removing  from  the  cob,  and  in  cutting  off  cut  them  several  times 
through,  leaving  a  large  part  on  the  cob  to  be  scraped  off,  so  as  to 


BECIFKS.  193 

mako  a  fine  mass  of  the  whole.  Take  a  pint  of  milk  or  cream,  bring 
it  to  a  boil,  and  put  tlie  corn  in  and  boil  slowlv  in  a  closed  porcelain 
or  tin  vessel  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  with  a  very  little  salt  ;  or, 
which  is  better,  steam  it  for  half  an  hour.  It  will  then  be  very  rich 
and  savory. 

Succotash. — For  succotash,  Lima  beans  are  the  best  ;  the  Agricul- 
tural stand  second  on  the  list.  But  any  good  variety  of  bush  beans, 
which  come  earlier  than  these,  makes  an  article  by  no  means  inferior. 
Shell  the  green  beans,  and  boil  them  slowly  in  an  abundance  of  water 
for  one  or  two  hours,  being  careful  to  keep  them  covered  with  water 
while  boiling.  Cut  well-grown  corn  from  the  cob,  as  in  the  previous 
directions  ;  place  it  in  a  pan  or  basin  to  steam,  over  the  beans — if  not 
provided  with  suitable  steam  apparatus.  Add  a  little  water  to  the 
corn,  and  stir  it  occasionally.  Steam  from  twenty  to  thirty  minutes, 
then  add  the  corn  to  the  beans,  and  simmer  for  half  an  hour.  Stir 
often,  and  watch  carefully  that  it  does  not  burn.  Season  to  suit  the 
taste. 

Dried  Sweet  Corn. — Wash  the  quantity  you  wish  to  cook.  Add 
two  or  three  times  as  much  water,  and  soak  over  night.  In  the  morn- 
ing place  on  the  range  or  stove  in  a  closed  tin  or  porcelain  vessel, 
where  it  will  keep  at  the  scalding  point  for  four  or  five  hours.  Do 
not  let  it  boil  a  moment.  Be  equally  careful  to  keep  it  hot.  Add 
water,  if  necessary,  but  do  not  make  it  too  thick.  Season  as  you  like 
with  salt. 

Winter  Succotash. — Take  equal  quantities  of  dried  sweet  corn 
and  of  dried  green  beans.  Wash  and  soak  them  separately,  over 
night,  in  warm  water.  Add  more  water,  if  necessary,  in  the  morning. 
Boil  the  beans  slowly  for  four  or  five  hours,  adding  boiling  water  oc- 
casionally. Cook  the  corn  as  you  would  without  the  beans.  Then 
add  the  corn  to  the  beans,  and  cook  slowly,  only  long  enough  to  com- 
bine them  well.  This  is  an  excellent  article  of  food,  if  carefully  pre- 
pared, although  not  equal  to  succotash  in  the  summer.  Season  with 
cream  and  salt. 

To  Bake  Beans. — Prepare  them  as  for  stewing,  and  place  them 
with  a  large  quantity  of  water  in  a  stone-ware  pot  in  a  hot  oven.  Let 
the  oven  cool  somewhat  after  they  begin  to  cook,  and  bake  them  from 
four  to  six  hours  rather  slowly.  Leave  out  meat  and  butter,  and  trim 
with  cream  and  salt. 

Dried  Green  Peas. — Wash  the  peas,  pour  boiling  soft  water  over 
them,  sufficient  to  cover.  Let  them  stand  over  night.  Stew  them  for 
several  hours,  or  until  they  are  soft  and  pulpy.  Add  boiling  water 
occasionally,  and  keep  them  covered  closely  while  cooking.  Add  half 
a  cup  of  cream  and  a  little  salt,  and  boil  ten  minutes  ;  then  dish  up. 

Stewed  Carrots. — One  pound  and  a  half  of  carrots  ;  one  ounce  of 
butter ;  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  parsley  ;  one  teaspoonf ul  of  flour,  and 
four  tablespoonf uls  of  cream.    About  half-boil  the  carrots,  then  scrape 
and  slice  them ;  put  them  into  a  pan  with  half  a  teacupful  of  vege 
table  broth,  or  water ;  let  them  simmer  tiP  ^uite  tender,  but   not 


194  BECIPE8. 

brokeu  ;  add  the  chopped  parsley,  and  stir  in  the  flour  and  buttei 
previously  mixed;  simmer  them  ten  minutes  longer,  and  serve  ini' 
mediately. 

Green  Peas. — The  most  important  part  is  to  get  the  peas  fresh 
from  the  vines.  They  lose  their  delicious  flavor  in  a  very  short  time 
after  picking.  Wash  before  shelling,  not  after.  Shell  the  peas,  then 
select  the  tenderest  pods,  and  put  into  just  water  enough  to  cover 
them,  and  after  boiling  them  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  skim  out  the 
pods  and  put  in  the  peas.  Boil  them  slowly  twenty  minutes,  trim 
with  a  little  rich  cream,  and  salt.  They  should  be  boiled  in  so  little 
water  that  there  will  not  be  more  than  a  half  teacupf  ul  around  them 
when  they  are  cooked,  and  this  should  be  seasoned  and  dished  with 
the  peas.  Those  who  must  depend  upon  the  markets  for  peas  often 
find  them  very  insipid  and  tasteless,  notwithstanding  their  care  in 
selecting  and  cooking.  Sometimes  a  spoonful  of  sugar  will  add  to 
the  flavor.  Boiling  the  pods  adds  much  to  the  richness  and  sweetness 
of  the  peas. 

Asparagus. — Select  green  asparagus.  If  you  have  the  privilege 
of  cutting  it  from  the  bed,  break  or  cut  as  close  to  the  ground  as  it  is 
tender.  If  you  must  buy  from  the  markets,  try  several  stalks  and  see 
that  they  are  not  woody  and  tough.  The  white  ends  are  usually  so, 
and  are  not  eatable,  being  very  bitter  besides.  After  breaking  olf  the 
hardest  part,  the  asparagus  may  be  improved  by  taking  a  thin  sharp 
knife  and  stripping  off  the  outside  skin,  beginning  at  the  cut  end  and 
drawing  the  skin  upward  as  far  as  it  will  go.  The  bitter  lies  next  to 
the  outside.  Now  cut  the  stalks  into  pieces  an  inch  long,  put  into  a 
saucepan,  sprinkle  over  a  little  salt,  and  just  cover  with  boiling 
water.  Cook  twenty  minutes  ;  add  half  a  teacupf  ul  of  sweet  cream  ; 
rub  together  a  teaspoonf  ul  of  butter  and  a  teaspoonf  ul  of  flour  and 
stir  in ;  boil  up  a  minute  or  two  ;  toast  a  thin  slice  of  bread  a  light 
brown;  cut  into  several  pieces;  lay  into  the  bottom  of  a  dish,  and 
pour  the  asparagus  over.  Or  leave  the  asparagus  without  cutting  up, 
lay  it  all  one  way  in  the  saucepan,  and  otherwise  prepare  the  same. 

Shelled  Beans. — Of  the  shelling  beans  the  Lima,  Horticulturax, 
and  Saba  are  the  best.  They  require  a  full  hour  to  boil,  and  a  large 
quantity  of  water,  as  there  appears  to  be  a  more  rapid  evaporation 
when  beans  are  boiling  than  with  most  vegetables.  When  ready  to 
dish,  season  as  other  vegetables.  Much  seasoning  destroys  or  covers 
up  the  delicious  taste  of  the  bean.  A  little  rich  cream  and  salt  is 
sufficient. 

String  Beans  should  be  strung,  broken  in  pieces,  and  boiled  an 
hour  or  two,  and  seasoned  the  same  as  shelled  beans. 

Boiled  Cabbage. — Take  off  the  outside  leaves — all  that  are  green 
or  imperfect — from  a  head  of  white  cabbage;  cut  into  quarters,  and 
lay  it  for  a  few  minutes  into  a  panful  of  cold  salted  water.  This  will 
at  once  remove  slugs  or  insects.  Open  the  leaves,  but  do  not  break 
them  from  the  stem.  Shake  them  in  the  water  and  examine  carefully, 
then  put  into  a  kettle  containing  at  least  three  quarts  of  fast  boiling 
water.    Cover  the  kettle  and  boil  fast  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour 


BBCIPBS.  195 

Boil  a  tea-cupful  of  rich  milk  or  cream,  thicken  with  a  spoonful  of 
flour,  and  pour  over  the  cabbage,  wlrich  has  been  taken  up  into  a  vege- 
table dish  and  all  the  water  drained  ofE.  Add  a  little  salt  and  a 
sprinkle  of  cayenne. 

Cabbage  with  Milk. — Cut  half  of  a  solid  head  of  cabbage  fine  as 
for  slaw.  Have  a  deep  spider  on  the  fire  and  hot.  Put  in  your  cab- 
bage, pour  quickly  over  it  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  cover  close,  and 
cook  for  ten  minutes  ;  then  pour  off  the  water  that  remains,  and  add 
half  a  pint  of  rich  milk.  When  the  milk  boils  up  stir  in  a  tea-spoon- 
ful of  flour  moistened  with  a  little  cream  or  milk,  a  sprinkle  of  salt, 
and  cook  the  flour  a  minute,  then  dish  up. 

Those  who  usually  find  cabbage  an  unpleasantly  indigestible 
article  of  food  will  be  gratified  with  the  result  of  this  mode  of  cooking 
it.     It  is  quite  like  cauliflower,  and  is  much  cheaper. 

Dr.  Everett's  Choice. — Cut  fine  as  much  clean  nice  cabbage  as 
will  fill  a  spider.  Place  it  in  this  utensil,  cover  with  a  plate,  and  let 
it  cook  till  done  in  the  steam  from  its  own  j  uices. 

Onions. — The  unpleasant  breath  which  eating  this  vegetable  pro- 
duces is  perhaps  the  greatest  objection  to  its  use,  but  still  it  is  a  very 
wholesome  and  desirable  article  of  food  for  many,  and  hence  should 
be  brought  on  the  table  in  the  most  attractive  form.  White  onions, 
and  those  grown  in  the  South,  are  least  odorous  and  pungent.  Take 
off  the  outside  skin,  cut  off  both  ends  close,  and  let  them  stand  in  cold 
water  an  hour,  then  drop  them  into  a  saucepan  with  two  quarts  of 
boiling  water.  Cover,  and  boil  fifteen  minutes.  Have  a  kettle  of  boil- 
ing water  on  the  fire  ready  for  use,  pour  off  the  water  from  the 
onions,  and  add  as  much  more — be  sure  the  water  is  boiling — and  boil 
half  an  hour  longer.  Scald  a  cupful  of  rich  milk,  pour  off  the  second 
water  from  the  onions,  add  the  milk  and  a  little  Graham  flour  to 
thicken  it.  Salt  and  otherwise  season  to  taste.  Boil  up  a  few  minutes 
and  serve  the  onions  whole  ;  or  they  may  be  cut  in  halves  before 
cooking. 

Cold  Slaw. — Take  half  a  head  of  white  cabbage,  cut  it  into  fine 
shreds,  and  put  into  a  bowl  or  deep  dish.  Add  the  juice  of  a  large 
lemon  and  two  spoonfuls  of  cold  water,  and  stir  together ;  then  sift 
evenly  over  the  cabbage  three  or  four  table-spoonfuls  of  granulated 
sugar  ;  shake  the  dish  so  that  the  sugar  may  be  diffused,  but  do  not 
stir  it  again.     Let  it  stand  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  and  then  serve. 

Grape  or  currant  vinegar  is  very  nice  instead  of  lemon,  and  a  pref 
erable  acid  with  many. 

Potato  Salad. — Cut  six  or  eight  cold  potatoes  into  even,  thin 
slices,  and  put  into  a  salad  dish.  Cut  fine,  and  sprinkle  over  the 
potatoes  a  tea-spoonful  of  parsley,  and  a  little  salt  and  cayenne.  Stir 
half  a  tea-cupful  of  good  cream  until  it  is  very  smooth  and  foamy ; 
pour  over  the  potatoes,  and  mix  carefully,  so  as  not  to  break  the 
slices.  A  little  prepared  mustard,  and  a  few  stalks  of  white  celery 
thopped  fino,  is  an  addition.     This  is  a  good  dish  for  a  hearty  lunch. 


196  EECIPES. 

Sweet  Potatoes  may  be  peeled,  cut  in  thin  slices  or  strips,  and 
fried,  lieating  and  buttering  the  skillet  in  the  same  way.  They  will 
not  bear  quite  so  hot  a  fire,  nor  take  so  long  to  cook.  Use  as  little 
butter  as  possible.  Fried  food  is  not  considered  so  wholesome  as 
boiled  or  steamed,  but  is  sometimes  more  convenient  to  prepare. 

Egg  Plant.— Pare  and  cut  into  slices,  half  an  inch  thick,  two  or 
three  egg  plants,  according  to  the  size  of  your  family,  and  put  to  soak 
in  cold  salted  water  for  two  hours.  This  removes  a  black,  bitter 
juice,  said  to  be  unheal thful,  certainly  very  disagreeable.  Then  press 
the  slices  between  two  plates,  and  wipe  them  on  a  clean  cloth,  then 
boil  till  soft  enough  to  mash  like  turnips.  Mash  them  smooth,  add  a 
few  bread  crumbs  soaked  in  sweet  cream,  a  little  chopped  parsley  and 
salt,  and  a  sprinkle  of  cayenne.  Mix  all  thoroughly,  pour  into  a  but- 
tered baking  dish,  cover  the  top  with  bread  crumbs,  and  bake  half  an 
hour. 

Catjliflower. — Soak  the  head  two  hours  in  cold  salted  water,  and 
boil  till  tender  in  plenty  of  water.  Have  the  water  boiling  when  you 
put  in  the  flower.  Pour  off  the  water,  and  add  a  cup  of  cream  or 
milk.  Rub  together  a  tea-spoonful  of  butter  and  a  large  spoonful  olf 
flour.  Stir  into  the  milk,  season  as  you  like,  and  let  all  boil  up  to- 
gether for  five  minutes  and  serve. 

Spinach. — Wash  carefully  in  plenty  of  cold  salt  and  water,  put  it 
into  a  saucepan  that  will  just  hold  it,  put  in  some  salt,  and  pour  over 
it  a  pint  of  boiling  water.  Cover  close,  and  let  it  cook  slowly  twenty 
minutes.  Drain  off  all  the  water,  and  pour  over  it  a  gill  of  scalded 
cream  or  a  little  butter,  and  it  is  ready  for  the  table. 

• 

PIES. 

Pies  are  wholesome  or  not  as  they  are  well  or  badly  made.  An 
apple  pie  can  be  so  prepared  as  to  be  nearly  or  quite  as  simple  as 
bread,  butter,  and  apple  sauce.  A  whole  meal  may  be  made  of  it  with- 
out injury  to  the  health.  On  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  so  prepared 
as  to  be  unfit  for  the  stomach  of  even  a  rhinoceros .  The  model  pie  is 
in  our  opinion  the  apple  pie.  Peach  pies  are  highly  relished  by  many  ; 
but  the  peach  loses  its  finest  flavor  by  cooking,  whereas  the  apple  is 
improved  by  this  process.  Most  of  the  berries  in  their  season  make 
good  pies.  So  does  rice  and  eggs,  and  the  custard  pie  is  not  only  deli 
cious  but  wholesome.  Meat  mince  pies  are  not  to  be  tolerated  by  deli- 
cate people  ;  though  they  may  be  eaten  by  men  of  strong  digestion, 
who  live  much  in  the  open  air  and  do  muscular  work.  The  first 
point  to  be  secured  in  a  pie  is  good  crust.  In  general  terms,  this 
Bhauld  be  thin  and,  when  well  baked,  tender.  It  should  not  be  sliort- 
ensd  with  lard,  but  the  best  of  cream — or  in  the  absence  of  this,  good 
butter.  Delicate  fruits  are  soon  tainted  with  the  shortening  of  the 
crust.  Many  in  baking  pies,  use  too  much  crust.  The  less  that  can 
be  used  the  better  the  pie  will  be.  The  crust  should  be  thin,  the  fruit 
good  pie-apples,  and  plenty  of  them,  put  between  the  crust.  Where 
the  two  crusts  meet  on  the  edge  of  the  dish,  r^re  should  be  taken  to 


RECIPEft.  ]  07 

have  the  apples  pressed  out,  so  that  there  shall  not  be  a  wide  strip  of 
thick  crust  with  no  apples  near  them.  An  apple  pie  should  be  euT**n 
just  after  it  is  cool.  If  eaten  while  hot,  it  is  apt  to  go  down  only  half 
masticated,  and  tiie  effect  of  the  heat  on  the  tongue  tends  to  destroy 
the  finer  sense  of  taste.  After  an  apple  pie  is  one  day  old  it  begins  to 
grow  stale,  unless  it  is  kept  with  great  care.  Soyer,  the  famous  Lon- 
don pie-maker,  thinks  that  if  all  the  spoilt  pies  made  in  London  on 
one  single  Sunday  were  placed  in  a  row  beside  a  railway,  it  would 
take  an  express-train  an  hour  to  pass  them  in  review.  Whoever  will 
induce  bakers  to  improve  their  methods  of  making  them,  will  be  a 
public  benefactor.  The  usual  price  for  a  piece  of  pie  in  a  New  York 
restaurant  is  ten  cents.  They  could  be  afforded  for  half  that  price,  at 
a  profit,  too,  if  there  were  no  spoiled  pies. 

The  following  receipts  for  pie  pastry  will  be  found  excellent.  They 
may  be  varied  somewhat  to  suit  individual  tastes,  provided  only  the 
general  rules  be  kept  in  view.  We  commend  the  cream  shortening  as 
better  than  any  other. 

Good  Pie  Crust. — A  quart  of  flour  will  make  two  large  pies.  Sift 
the  flour.  Take  a  large,  strong  spoon,  and  stir  into  the  flour  one  quar- 
ter of  a  pound  of  butter  and  a  tea-spoonful  of  yeast  powder  ;  then 
moisten  with  cold  water — ice  water  if  you  have  it — using  just  as  little 
as  will  make  the  flour  stick  together.  Sprinkle  some  of  the  shortened 
flour  on  the  pie-board,  and  roll  the  crust  large  enough  for  the  pie-pan ; 
do  not  try  to  make  smooth  edges  until  you  have  put  in  the  filling, 
and  the  upper  crust ;  then  press  the  edges  firmly  together  and  cut  off 
the  rough  edges  with  a  knife.  The  secret  of  good,  tender,  plain  pas- 
try is  speedy  work — no  working  with  the  warm  hands. 

Cream  and  Potato  Pastry. — Six  good-sized  potatoes,  boiled  and 
mashed,  mealy,  and  white,  one  tea-cup  of  sweet  cream,  half  tea-spoon- 
ful of  salt,  and  flour  enough  to  make  it  stay  together,  and  roll  out. 
Work  and  handle  as  little  as  possible,  and  roll  thicker  than  for  com- 
mon pastry. 

This  is  Mrs.  Beecher's  receipt  for  "pastry  for  meat  pies,"  and  is 
exactly  what  a  wholesome  fruit  pie  needs.  Light  tart  apples,  cut  in 
thin  slices,  and  filled  into  such  a  crust  with  a  table-spoonful  of  water 
and  two  of  sugar  added,  and  a  top-crust,  baked  half  an  hour,  will  be 
good  enough  for  an  epicure.  ' 

Mrs.  Cox's  Method. — Pour  sufficient  boiling  water  upon  wheat 
meal  to  make  a  stiff  dough  ,  roll,  without  kneading,  to  any  desired 
thickness,  from  an  eighth  to  a  half  inch. 

Note.— This  make?  a  very  tender  crust,  quite  as  much  po  as  can  be  made  In  the 
ordinary  way.  It  may  be  made  of  superfine  floor,  or  rye  meal,  or  a  mixture  of  dif- 
feieut  kinds. 

To  have  the  crust  tender,  it  must  not  be  kneaded,  but  rolled  oat 
with  plenty  of  meal  on  the  board. 

Mattie  Jones'  Cream  Pie  Crust.  —  Take  equal  quantities  of 
Graham  flour,  white  flour,  and  Indian  meal  ;  rub  evenly  together,  and 


198  KBCIPES, 

wet  with  very  thin  sweet  cream.     It  should  be  rolled  thin  and  baked 
in  an  oven  as  hot  as  for  common  pie  crust. 

NoTB. — This  makes  excellent  pastry  if  properly  baked.  Many  patients  have  said 
to  ut«  they  did  not  see  how  they  could  ever  again  relish  the  pastry  in  common  use 
(this  is  so  much  sweeter  and  more  palatable,  to  say  nothing  of  its  wholesomeness). 

Apple  Pies.  —  Take  nice,  tart  apples  —  spitzenbergs  are  best,  al- 
though pippins,  greenings,  russets,  etc.,  are  excellent.  Slice  them  ; 
fill  the  under  crust  an  inch  thick  ;  sprinkle  sugar  over  them ;  add  a 
spoonful  or  two  of  water  ;  cover  with  a  thin  crust,  and  bake  three- 
fourths  of  an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven. 

Another. — Peel  and  cut  about  two  pounds  of  apples — sharp  ones 
being  the  best  for  the  purpose ;  cat  each  into  four  pieces,  removing 
the  cores  ;  then  cut  each  quarter  into  two  or  three  pieces,  according  to 
the  size.  Put  half  of  them  into  a  pie-dish,  slightly  press  them  down  ; 
put  over  them  two  ounces  of  brown  sugar  ;  put  in  the  remaining  ap- 
ples ;  then  add  another  tv/o  ounces  of  sugar,  making  the  apples  form 
a  kind  of  dome,  the  center  being  two  inches  higher  than  the  sides ; 
add  a  small  wine-glass  of  water ;  cover  the  top  with  paste,  and  bake 
in  a  moderate  oven  from  half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour. 

Mock  Apple  Pie. — For  a  large  pie-plate,  two  crackers  (milk  or 
Boda),  one  egg,  one  cup  of  sugar,  one  of  water,  and  the  juice  of  one 
lemon ;  add  a  pinch  of  salt,  and  spice  with  nutmeg  or  the  rind  of  the 
lemon.     This  is  quite  a  tolerable  counterfeit. 

Apple  Puffs. — Peel  and  core  six  tart  apples,  cook  quickly  with 
very  little  water ;  cover  close  so  as  to  make  them  white  and  free  from 
lumps  ;  when  done  to  a  puff,  sprinkle  over  them  two  heaping  spoon- 
fuls of  sugar,  and  stir  smooth.  Set  to  cool.  Prepare  your  pastry. 
Beat  the  whites  of  three  eggs  to  a  stiff  froth,  stir  into  the  apples  and 
fill  the  crust ;  grate  a  little  nutmeg  or  cinnamon  over  the  top.  No  top 
crust.     Bake  in  a  quick  oven,  only  long  enough  to  cook  the  pastry. 

Apple  Float. — A  pint  of  stewed,  well  mashed  apples  ;  whites  of 
three  eggs,  four  large  spoonfuls  of  sugar,  beaten  until  stiff  ;  then  add 
the  apples  and  beat  all  together  until  stiff  enough  to  stand  alone.  Fill 
a  deep  dish  with  rich  cream,  boiled  soft  custard,  and  pile  the  float  on 
top.     This  is  excellent  with  other  fruits  in  place  of  apples. 

French  Apple  Turnovers. — Eight  large  apples  ;  eight  ounces  of 
sugar  ;  two  ounces  of  butter,  and  the  rind  of  a  lemon. 

Prepare  the  apples  as  for  a  pie ;  put  them  into  a  saucepan  with  the 
sugar,  butter,  the  rind  of  a  lemon  rubbed  on  a  piece  of  sugar,  and  two 
table-spoonfuls  of  water  ;  cover  the  pan,  and  set  it  over  a  slow  fire, 
turning  it  occasionally  till  the  apples  are  about  half  done,  and  pour 
them  into  .a  basin  to  cool.  Roll  out  a  piece  of  paste  in  a  circular  form, 
the  eighth  of  an  inch  thick,  and  about  the  size  of  a  dinner-plate ;  wet 
it  round,  and  fasten  a  rolled  cord  of  paste  within  an  inch  of  the  edge  ; 
put  in  the  prepared  apples,  raising  them  in  the  center  in  the  form  of  a 
dome  spread  some  apricot  or  orange  marmalade  over  the  surface, 
and  cover  the  whole  with  another  circular  piece  of  paste,  and  press 
the  edges  together,  or  fold  them  over  in  the  form  of  a  cord.     Spread 


EECIPES.  199 

Bonie  beaten  white  of  egg  all  over  the  top  with  a  soft  paste-brush  ;  then 
strew  coarsely  pounded  or  rough  granite  sugar  over  the  entire  sur- 
face, and  bake  lightly  in  a  moderately  hot  oven. 

Jam  TuRNOVEiRS. — Roll  out  some  short  paste  about  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  thick ;  cut  it  in  pieces  about  four  inches  in  length,  and  between 
two  and  three  inches  in  breadth  ;  lay  on  each  a  little  apple  jam,  or  any 
other  preserved  fruit,  without  syrup  ;  turn  the  edges  over,  wetting 
them,  as  little  as  possible,  with  water ;  press  them  lightly  together, 
and  also  the  ends ;  lay  them  on  tins,  and  bake  in  a  moderately  hot 
oven.  Ice  them  very  perfectly,  and  return  them  to  the  oven  for  a 
few  minutes,  or  set  them  in  a  Dutch  or  American  oven  before  the 
fire. 

Apple  Pie  Cake. — Mix  unbolted  wheat  with  cold  water,  making 
a  batter  soft  enough  to  nearly  level  itself.  If  shortening  is  desired, 
use  sweet  cream  or  butter.  Fill  a  rather  deep  pie-plate  about  a  third 
full  of  the  batter,  and  sprinkle  over  a  little  su^ar.  Wash,  quarter, 
and  core  tart  apples,  and  place  as  many  in  the  batter  (skin  side 
up)  as  it  will  hold.  They  may  be  pressed  down  and  leveled  with  a 
stifE  spoon.  Over  the  top  sprinkle  some  sugar,  and  bake  till  nicely 
brown. 

This  cake  is  both  wholesome,  nutritious,  and  delicious.  Children 
and  grown  folks  can  eat  of  it  freely  without  injury. 

Cocoa-Nut  Pies. —  Open  the  ei/es  of  a  cocoa-nut  with  a  pointed 
knife  or  a  gimlet,  and  pour  out  the  milk  into  a  cup  ;  then  break  the 
shell  and  take  out  the  meat  and  grate  it  fine.  Take  the  same  weight 
of  sugar  and  the  grated  nut  and  stir  together  ;  beat  four  eggs,  the 
whites  and  yolks  separately,  to  a  stiff  foam  ;  mix  one  cup  of  cream,  and 
the  milk  of  the  cocoa-nut  with  the  sugar  and  nut,  then  add  the  eggs 
and  a  few  drops  of  orange  or  lemon  extract.  Line  deep  pie-tins  with 
a  nice  crust,  fill  them  with  the  custard  and  bake  carefully  half  an  hour. 

Lemon  Pie. — For  each  peeled  and  grated  lemon  add  one  tea-cup  of 
sugar,  and  one  table-spoonful  of  corn-starch  dissolved  in  cold  water. 
Over  this  pour  a  tea-cup  of  boiling  water. 

Crust.  One  part  white  flour,  one  part  Graham  flour,  one  part  corn- 
meal.  Shorten  it  with  butter  or  condensed  milk,  reduced  one-third. 
Use  two  crusts. 

The  above  recipe  for  lemon  pie  is  used  in  our  Institution,  and  has 
given  perfect  satisfaction. 

Another  Recipe. — Take  two  lemons,  two  eggs,  one  cup  of  sugar, 
one  cup  of  water,  and  one  large  table-spoonful  of  flour.  After  grating 
the  peel,  take  off  and  throw  away  the  white  rind,  and  cut  the  lemou 
in  small  pieces.  Carefully  picking  out  the  seeds.  After  the  under 
crust  is  laid  in,  sugar  it  well.  Bake  with  two  crusts.  Lemon  pie  is 
not  quite  so  easily  managed  by  the  stomach,  and  should  be  eaten  more 
sparingly  than  apple  pie. 

Pumpkin  or  Squash  Pie. — Cut  the  pumpkin  into  small  pieces; 
take  out  the  seeds  and  inside,  but  do  not  pare  it.  It  must  be  a  well- 
grown  and  thoroughly  ripened  pumpkin,  and  not  watery.    Put-  the 


200  EECIPBS. 

pieces  into  a  sauce-pan  witli  only  a  few  spoonfuls  of  water,  not  more 
than  four ;  cover  close  and  let  it  cook  gently  so  as  not  to  scorch,  until 
the  water  has  all  evaporated,  and  the  pumpkin  has  cooked  quite  dry 
and  of  a  rich,  dark,  orange  color.  While  hot,  sift  it  through  a  coarse 
sieve.  Season  only  as  much  as  you  are  needing  for  the  day.  For  one 
large  pie,  one  egg,  one  table- spoonful  of  molasses,  four  i  iible-spoonf uls 
of  condensed  milk,  or  enough  of  new  milk  to  make  it  as  thin  as  you 
wish ;  or,  if  you  have  it,  half  milk  and  half  cream,  instead  of  con- 
densed milk.     Sugar  to  suit  the  taste. 

Another.  —  Select  a  pumpkin  which  has  a  deep,  rich  color,  and 
firm,  close  texture.  Stew  and  sift  in  the  ordinary  manner;  add  as 
much  boiling  milk  as  will  make  it  about  one-third  thicker  than  for 
common  pumpkin  pie.  Sweeten  with  equal  quantities  of  sugar  and 
molasses,  and  bake  about  one  hour  in  a  hot  oven. 

Note. — Those  who  will  try  this  method  will  ha  surprised  to  find  how  delicious  a 

Eie  can  be  made  without  eggs*,  ginger,  or  spices  of  any  "kind.    The  milk  bein^  turned 
oiling  hot  upon  the  pumpkin," causes  it  to  swell  in  baking,  so  that  it  is  as  light  and 
nice  as  though  eggs  had  been  used. 


■'DO'- 


Squash  Pie. — This  is  even  superior  to  pumpkin,  as  it  possesses  a 
richer,  sweeter  flavor,  and  is  far  preferable.  It  is  made  in  precisely 
the  same  manner  as  pumpkin  pie. 

Sweet  Potato  Pie. — Boil  and  sift  through  a  colander,  nice,  ripe, 
sweet  potatoes,  add  boiling  milk,  and  make  the  same  as  pumpkin  pie. 

Sweet  Apple  Pie. — Pare  mellow,  sweet  apples,  and  grate  them 
upon  a  grater.  A  very  large  grater  is  necessary  for  this  purpose. 
Then  proceed  as  for  pumpkin  pie. 

Note.  —  The  four  receipts  last  mentioned,  are  from  Mrs.  Jones'  Cook-book,  a 
work  of  which  thousands  have  been  sold,  and  which  has  been  republished  in  Eng- 
.and. 

Rice  Pie. — Take  cold  rice,  cooked  in  milk  ;  add  sufficient  cream  to 
make  quite  thin ;  mash  it  with  a  wooden  or  silver  spoon  till  free  from 
lumps.  Beat  up  four  eggs  very  light — yolks  and  whites  separately  ; 
sweeten  to  suit  your  taste,  and  pour  in  the  eggs — the  whites  last ;  stir 
well ;  cover  a  deep  custard  or  pumpkin  pie-plate  with  pastry,  pour  in 
the  rice,  and  bake,  but  not  long  enough  to  make  the  custard  watery. 

Rice  pie  should  be  made  thick,  and  eaten  when  fresh,  but  not  till 
after  it  is  cold.  Children  are  fond  of  it,  and  may  be  allowed  as  much 
as  they  wish. 

Cbanberry  Pie, — Stew  a  few  good,  ripe,  sweet  apples,  and  add  an 
equal  quantity  of  cranberries.  Cover  a  deep  plate  with  a  crust,  and 
fill  even  full ;  roll  the  upper  crust,  and  cut  in  strips  half  an  inch  wide 
and  lay  across  the  pie,  leaving  the  spaces  diamond-shaped,  and  bake. 

Strawberry  Pie.  —  Place  the  under  crust  upon  a  deep  plate,  and 
the  upper  one — cut  just  the  right  size— on  a  flat  tin  or  sheet-iron 
prick  to  prevent  blistering,  and  bake.  Fill  the  deep  dish  while  hot 
with  strawberries,  and  cover  with  the  flat  crust.  If  the  fruit  is  rathei 
hard,  replace  in  the  oven  till  heated ;  if  quite  ripe,  the  crust  will  steam 
them  sufficiently. 


RECIPES.  201 

Raspberry  and  blackberry  pie  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner. 
The  flavor  of  these  delicious  berries,  when  quite  ripe,  is  greatly  in- 
jured by  cooking ;  and  they  are  also  changed  to  a  mass  of  little  else 
than  seeds  and  juice. 

Mipe  Berry  Pies,  generally,  may  be  prepared  as  above,  and  baked 
till  the  fruit  is  cooked,  which  takes  only  a  few  minutes.  This  method 
is  much  better  than  baking  the  fruit  with  the  crust,  as  the  greater  part 
of  the  juice  is  often  lost  before  the  crust  is  cooked. 

Berry  Tarts.  —  Cover  gem-pans  with  crust,  as  for  little  pies,  and 
bake  ;  when  nearly  done,  fill  up  with  berries  and  replace  in  the  over 
a  few  minutes. 

NoTB. — The  four  receipts  mentioned  above,  are  from  Mrs.  Cox'a  Hygiene  Cook 
hook,  a  radical,  but  thooghtfal  little  book  of  one  hundred  pages,  which  will  repa} 
a  careful  reading. 

Pie  for  Dyspeptics. — Four  table-spoonfuls  of  oatmeal,  one  pint  of 
water ;  let  stand  a  few  hours,  or  till  the  meal  is  well  swelled.  Then 
add  two  large  apples,  pared  and  sliced,  a  little  salt,  one  cup  of  sugar, 
one  table- spoonful  of  liour.  Mix  all  well  together  and  bake  in  a  but- 
♦«red  pie-dish  ;  and  you  have  a  most  delicious  pie,  which  may  be  eaten 
with  safety  by  the  sick  or  well. 

We  might  go  on  giving  other  receipts  for  pies ;  but  trust  to  the  in- 
genuity of  the  reader  to  get  up  her  own  methods,  bearing  in  mind  al- 
ways the  rule  that  they  be  healthfully  made. 

CUSTARDS. 

Almond  Custards. — One  pint  of  milk  ;  half  a  pint  of  cream  ;  one 
ounce  and  a  half  of  sweet  almonds  ;  five  yolks  and  two  whites  of 
eggs,  and  four  ounces  of  white  sugar.  Boil  the  milk  and  cream  with 
a  small  stick  of  cinnamon  ;  pour  into  a  basin,  and  when  cool,  take  out 
cinnamon  ;  set  the  milk  on  a  slow  fire,  adding  the  sugar,  the  eggs, 
well  beaten,  and  the  almonds,  blanched  and  chopped  fine  ;  stir  on  the 
fire  till  thick,  but  do  not  allow  it  to  boil ;  pour  it  into  a  jug  or  bowl, 
stirring  it  frequently  till  cold,  and  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

Arrowroot  Custards. — One  ounce  of  arrowroot ;  three-quarters 
of  a  pint  of  milk  ,  three  ounces  of  sugar,  and  four  eggs.  Mix  the 
arrowroot  with  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  cold  milk,  adding  the  eggs,  well 
beaten,  the  sugar,  and  a  little  almond-flavor ;  add  half  a  pint  of  boil- 
ing milk,  stirring  constantly,  and  when  cold,  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

Milk  Custard. — One  pint  of  new  milk  ;  one  table-spoonful  of  flour; 
one  table-spoonful  of  thick  cream  ;  cinnamon  ;  almond-flavor,  and  sugar. 
Set  the  milk  over  the  fire  with  a  little  cinnamon,  stirring  it  till  quite 
hot,  but  not  allowing  it  to  boil.  Mix  the  cream  and  flour  together  ; 
pour  on  the  hot  milk  ;  stir  well,  adding  the  almond-flavor,  and  sugar. 
Bake  lightly,  without  crust,  in  a  moderate  oven. 

Another. — One  quart  of  new  milk  ;  sugar,  and  one  stick  of  cinna- 
mon. Boil  the  cinnamon  in  a  pan  with  the  new  milk  ;  take  the  pan 
off  the  fire,  and  stir  in  the  sugar.    Bake  in  pie  or  pudding  dishes, 


202  RECIPES. 

lined  with  custard  paste.  The  paste  should  be  pricked  with  a  fork, 
but  not  through  to  the  dish,  and  partly  baked  before  the  custard  is 
put  in.  Egg  custard  may  be  made  in  the  same  way,  allowing  five  or 
six  eggs,  according  to  size,  to  a  quart  of  new  milk. 

Baked  Custards. — One  pint  of  cream  ;  four  eggs  ;  cinnamon ;  al- 
mond-flavor, and  three  ounces  of  sugar.  Boil  the  cream  with  a  piece 
of  cinnamon  ;  pour  it  into  a  basin,  and  when  cold,  add  the  eggs,  well 
beaten  and  strained,  the  sugar  powdered,  and  a  few  drops  of  almond- 
flavor.     Bake  in  small  cups,  in  a  cool  oven. 

Plain  Custards. — The  same,  without  any  condiments.  One  quart 
of  new  milk  ;  the  yolks  of  eight  and  the  whites  of  four  eggs  ;  five 
ounces  of  sugar  ;  quarter  of  a  pint  of  cream  ;  the  rind  of  a  lemon,  and 
a  small  stick  of  cinnamon.  Boil  the  milk  with  the  cinnamon,  sugar^ 
and  the  rind  of  the  lemon,  pared  very  thin ;  when  the  milk  has  boil- 
ed a  few  minutes,  pour  it  into  a  bowl ;  beat  the  eggs,  adding  the 
cream,  and  mix  well  in  the  milk ;  then  strain  the  whole  into  the  pan, 
and  set  it  on  a  slow  fire,  stirring  constantly  till  near  boiling ;  pour  it 
into  a  jug,  stirring  it  till  nearly  cold,  and  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

Gooseberry  Custards. — Three  pints  of  green  gooseberries ;  quar- 
ter of  a  pound  of  sugar  ;  four  ^ggs,  and  two  table-spoonfuls  of  orange- 
flower  water.  Set  the  gooseberries  in  cold  water  over  a  slow  fire,  and 
simmer  till  soft  ;  then  drain  the  water  away,  and  rub  them  through  a 
sieve  ;  to  a  pint  of  pulp  add  the  eggs,  the  sugar,  and  orange-flower 
water ;  set  it  over  the  fire,  stirring  constantly  till  it  becomes  thick, 
and  when  cold,  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

Lemon  Custards. — Eight  eggs ;  six  ounces  of  sugar ;  two  lemons  ; 
a  tea-cupful  of  cream ;  one  pint  of  boiling  water,  anci  two  table-spoon- 
fuls of  orange-flower  water.  Beat  the  yolks  of  the  eggs  till  quite 
frothy  ;  pour  on  them  the  boiling  water,  stirring  quickly  all  the  time ; 
add  the  sugar,  and  the  rind  of  the  lemons,  grated  ;  stir  it  over  a  slow 
fire,  till  thick,  adding  the  cream,  and  orange-flower  water ;  when 
hot,  stir  in  the  lemon-juice  ;  pour  it  into  a  basin  ;  stir  till  nearly 
cold,  and  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

Lemon  Custards. — One  large  lemon  ;  one  quart  of  new  milk ; 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  white  sugar,  and  seven  eggs.  Grate  off  the 
rind  of  the  lemon  ;  put  it  with  the  sugar  in  the  milk,  and  boil  quarter 
of  an  hour  ;  strain,  and  let  it  remain  till  cool ;  then  stir  in  the  eggs, 
well  beaten  and  strained,  leaving  out  three  whites ;  pour  it  into  cups 
with  half  a  tea-spoonful  of  fresh  butter,  melted,  in  each  cup  ;  set  them 
in  water,  and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven ;  color  them  when  done,  by 
holding  a  hot  salamander  over,  and  serve  cold,  with  sugar  sifted  on  the 
wop. 

Raspberry  Custards. — One  pint  of  cream ;  three  quarters  of  a 
pint  of  raspberry  juice,  and  half  a  pound  of  white  sugar.  Boil  the 
cream  ;  dissolve  the  sugar  in  the  raspberry  juice ;  mix  it  with  the 
ooiling  cream,  stirring  it  till  quiie  thick,  and  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

RrcE  Custards, — One  ounce  and  a  half  of  ground  rice  ;  three  ounces 
of  loaf  sugar,  and  one  -pint  of  new  milk.     Boil  the  rice  in  the  milk. 


RECIPES.  203 

adding  the  sugar,  and  a  piece  of  cinnamon  ;  pour  it  into  custard  cups,  iu 
which  a  little  fresh  butter  has  been  melted,  and  bake  in  a  slow  oven. 

Vanilla  Custards. — One  stick  of  vanilla  ;  one  pint  and  a  half  of 
new  milk ;  half  a  pint  of  cream  ;  quarter  of  a  pound  of  white  sugai, 
and  seven  yolks  and  four  whites  of  eggs.  Cut  the  vanilla  into  slips  ; 
boil  in  the  milk  and  cream  quarter  of  an  hour,  adding  the  sugar  ; 
atrain,  and  let  it  remain  till  cool;  then  stir  iu  the  eggs,  well  beaten  ; 
pour  it  into  cups  with  half  a  tea-spoonful  of  fresh  butter,  melted,  in 
each  cup  ;  set  them  in  water  ;  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  ;  color  them 
when  done  by  holding  a  hot  salamander  over,  and  serve  cold,  with 
sugar  sifted  on  the  top. 

White  Custards. — One  pint  of  cream  ;  three  ounces  of  sugar ;  the 
whites  of  four  eggs,  and  one  table-spoonful  of  orange-flower  water. 
Boil  the  cream  with  a  blade  of  mace ;  let  it  simmer  for  about  five 
minutes  ;  then  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  add  the  sugar  ;  beat  the  whites 
of  the  eggs  to  a  comj)lete  froth  ;  put  them  into  the  cream  ;  set  it  on 
the  fire  again,  and  let  it  boil  gently,  stirring  constantly,  till  it  becomes 
thick;  take  it  off  the  fire;  add  tlie  orange-flower  water,  or  a  few  drops 
of  almond-flavor,  and  serve  in  custard  glasses. 

Note. — Cuatards  are  both  wholesome  and  nutritiou9,  eppecially  for  delicate  Ptom- 
Aphs,  and  for  those  recovering  from  sickni'ss,  especially  if  used  in  moderation,  they 
supply  the  waste  of  nerve-tiHt*ue  better  than  meals  or  breads.  The  custard  pie  ia 
made  by  baking  the  custard  iu  an  appropriate  crust. 


PUDDINGS. 

Rice  Pudding. — One  cup  of  fresh  whole  rice  ;  nine  cupf ula  of  new 
milk,  and  one  cup  of  sugar.  Put  into  a  stone  or  earthen  pan,  and 
'i)ake  in  a  moderate  oven  three  hours.  Stir  it  two  or  three  times  during 
the  first  hour  ;  do  not  increase  the  heat  of  the  oven  after  the  milk  be- 
gins to  simmer  :  be  careful  not  to  scorch  or  blister  ;  a  light  cover  to- 
ward the  last  will  be  better.  Set  to  cool  undisturbed.  It  is  best  eaten 
cold.     Raisins  may  be  added,  if  desired. 

Another. — Five  tea-cupfuls  of  rice  picked  and  washed  ;  fifteen 
quarts  of  new  milk  ;  one  and  a  half  pound  of  white  sugar  ;  one  pound 
of  raisins.  Bake  three  hours  in  a  moderate  oven  ;  stir  it  occasionally 
for  two  hours ;  then  leave  it  to  brow^n  over.  This  makes  a  delicious 
pudding,  plain  and  simple. 

Bread  Pudding. — To  one  loaf  of  bread,  well  grated,  pour  two  quarts 
of  boiled  milk  or  cream  ;  four  eggs  :  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  white 
sugar ;  flavor  to  the  taste  (mace  is  a  very  good  flavor),  and  bake  an 
hour.  If  the  boiled  milk  is  poured  upon  pieces  of  stale  bread  and  left 
standing  two  hours,  they  can  be  mashed  and  freed  from  lumps  with 
the  hand  before  putting  in  the  eggs.  Dried  currants,  that  have  been 
well  washed  and  swelled  in  lukewarm  water,  or  raisins,  will  be  a  good 
addition  to  this  pudding.  If  made  with  crackers  it  will  be  still  more 
delicate.  Cold  sauce  may  be  eaten  with  it  or  fruit  sauce,  if  no  fruit  is 
put  into  the  pudding. 


204  RECIPES. 

Apple  aj^d  Tapdca  Pudding. — Put  a  tea-cupful  of  tapioca  into  a 
quart  of  warm  water  before  breakfast  ;  set  it  where  it  will  keep  warm 
for  three  hours  ;  stir  it  from  the  bottom  once  or  twice  and  keep  covered. 
Pare  and  cut  in  thin  slices  five  or  six  nice  tart  apples,  and  lay  them 
in  the  bottom  of  the  pudding-dish  ;  add  a  heaped  cupful  of  sugar, 
dissolved  in  hot  water,  to  the  tapioca  ;  stir  well  together,  and  pour 
over  the  apples  ;  bake  slowly  for  two  hours.  To  be  eaten  with  whipped 
cream  flavored  with  a  little  lemon  or  orange.     Good  either  hot  or  cold. 

Graham  Gem  Pudding. — Take  six  cold  gems — yesterday's  baking ; 
break  them  into  small  pieces,  and  pour  over  them  one  pint  of  cold 
water ;  cover  and  let  them  soften  for  an  hour  ;  then  add  a  pint  and  a 
half  of  new  milk  ;  a  handful  of  seeded  raisins  or  currants  ;  one  beaten 
egg,  and  one  tea-spoonful  of  cream -yeast.  Mix  half  a  cup  of  sugar  and 
the  cream-yeast  thoroughly  together,  before  putting  them  with  the 
other  ingredients.  Stir  together  well  and  quickly  ;  butter  the  pud- 
ding-dish with  cold,  sweet  butter,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven  three- 
fourths  of  an  hour. 

Steamed  Graham  Pudding. — Sour  milk  or  fresh  buttermilk,  five 
cupf uls ;  brown  sugar,  two  cups  ;  butter,  half  a  cup  ;  two  tea-spoon- 
fuls of  soda  ;  two  eggs  ;  half  a  pound  of  seeded  dates.  Graham  flour 
enough  to  make  a  thin  Ijatter.  The  dates  should  be  chopped  fine  and 
rolled  in  flour  before  they  are  put  into  the  batter.  Steam  for  three 
hours.     Make  a  sauce  of  milk  and  cornstarch,  or  eat  with  good  cream. 

Apple  and  Bread  Pudding. — Break  and  rub  bread  fine  ;  peel  and 
chop  good,  sweetish  apples — sweet  apples  keep  their  place,  and  take 
a  little  longer  to  cook  ;  butter  a  pudding-dish,  then  put  a  layer  of 
apples  an  inch  deep,  then  a  layer  of  bread-crumbs  not  quite  so  thick, 
then  another  layer  of  apples,  alternating,  till  the  dish  is  full ;  bread 
being  last.  A  little  butter  may  be  added  to  each  layer  of  bread,  or  a 
table-spoonful  of  cream  sprinkled  over  each.  Bake  an  hour,  or  till  the 
apples  are  thoroughly  cooked.     Serve  with  sweet  sauce,  or  cream. 

Cherry  Pudding.  — One  quart  of  scalded  milk;  one  pint  of  corn 
meal ;  half  a  pint  of  Graham  flour,  or  a  little  less  of  fine  flour  ;  foui 
eggs  well  beaten  ;  a  tea-spoonful  of  yeast-powder,  and  a  pint  of  ripe 
cherries  ;  wash,  and  pick  out  the  imperfect  cherries  ;  leave  the  seeds 
in  ;  drain  oflE  all  the  water,  and  roll  the  cherries,  while  damp,  in 
some  of  the  flour.  Stir  all  together  ;  put  into  a  pudding-mould  or  bag, 
and  boil  two  hours.  To  be  eaten  with  sugar  and  cream.  The  late 
black  cherries  are  the  best  for  this  pudding.  They  are  not  so  juicy, 
retain  their  shape,  and  diffuse  a  rich  purple  tint  around  them,  which 
makes  the  pudding  handsome  for  the  table. 

Poor  Man's  Pudding. — One  cup  of  flour ;  one  cup  of  cornmeal  ;  one 
table-spoonful  of  cream-yeast  powder  mixed  well  with  the  meal  and 
flour ;  two  cups  of  rich  milk ;  one  cup  of  molasses ;  one  cup  of  cur- 
rants washed  and  rolled  in  flour ;  one  table-spoonful  of  butter  rubbed 
evenly  and  cold  into  the  pudding-mould.  Mix  the  ingredients  well 
together ;  put  into  the  mould,  and  boil  three  hours.  Be  careful  4o 
keep  the  pudding-mould  upright  in  the  boiling  kettle.  Do  not  allow 
the  water  to  stop  boiling  at  any  time,  or  to  boil  over  the  top  of  the 


RECIPES.  205 

ntould,  as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  have  the  lid  so  close  that  water 
will  not  get  in  and  quite  spoil  the  pudding.  When  done  turn  the  pud- 
ding out  of  the  mould  into  a  broad  platter  and  serve  hot  with  cream 
sauce. 

Note. — The  -poor  man'?  pudding  may  suggest  the  possibility  of  not  having  a  moiUa 
to  boil  it  in.  A  small,  high  tin  pail  with  a  lid  which  can  be  lied  down  tig-ht  will  do 
quite  a8  well,  though  it  may  have  to  boil  an  hour  longer,  to  cook  the  center  of  the 
pudding.  A  pu(!diii^-bag  dipped  in  cold  water  and  floured  inside  is  just  at*  good. 
The  puddiug-muuld  i»  a  great  convenience,  not  an  essential. 

Cottage  Pudding. — One-half  cup  of  sugar ;  one  egg  ;  one  cupful 
of  cream  ;  one  pint  of  flour ;  one  heaping  tea-spoonful  of  Taylor's 
cream-yeast.  Bake  in  a  cake-pan.  To  be  eaten  with  a  hot,  sweet 
eauce,  or  with  cold  cream. 

Graham  Birdsnest  Pudding— Is  made  by  laying  in  a  deep  dish 
nice  quartered  apples,  and  pouring  over  them  a  thin  batter  made  of 
flour  ;  one  tea-cup  of  sour  milk,  and  about  one-third  of  a  tea-spo<3nful 
of  soda.  Bake  in  a  moderate  oven  till  the  apples  are  thoroughly 
cooked. 

Tapioca  Custard  Pudding. — Soak  two  table-spoons  tapioca  over 
night  in  cold  water ;  when  ready  to  make  custard,  boil  one  quart  milk; 
while  boiling  add  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs,  three- fourths  cup  sugar, 
and  the  tapioca  ;  turn  in  the  dish  you  wish  to  serve  it  in  ;  have  the 
beaten  whites  ready,  sweetened  a  little  and  spread  over  top  ;  put  in 
oven  and  just  brown  a  little.     Eat  cold. 

Delmonico  Pudding.  —  Three  table-spoonfuls  cornstarch  ;  one 
quart  boiling  milk  ;  three  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  separated.  Mix 
yolks  with  cornstarch  and  add  milk  gradually.  Let  it  boil.  Beat 
whites  to  stiff  froth,  sweeten.  Put  cornstarch  in  pudding-dish,  cover 
with  frosting  and  set  in  oven  to  brown.     To  be  eaten  cold. 

Nice  Cheap  Pudding. — One  quart  of  milk;  four  table-spoonfuls  of 
flour  ;  four  eggs  ;  six  table-spoonfuls  of  sugar  ;  nutmeg.  Steam  three- 
fourths  of  an  hour. 

Sago  Pudding. — One  dozen  tart  apples  ;  one  and  a  half  cups  of 
sago  ;  soak  the  sago  till  soft ;  peel  and  core  the  apples,  and  place  in  a 
dish  ;  fill  the  apples  with  sugar  ;  pour  the  sago  over,  and  bake  till  tho 
apples  are  cooked. 

Sago  Birdsnest  Pudding — Is  made  by  laying  quartered  fresh 
apples,  or  stewed  dried  ones,  in  a  pan  about  half  full,  and  pouring 
over  them  the  sago,  prepared  as  for  a  thin  mush  ;  then  bake  in  a 
moderate  oven  till  the  apples  are  cooked  ;  say  an  hour  or  more,  accord- 
ing to  the  size  of  the  pudding. 

Indian  Pudding. — Extra  good. — Two  tea-cups  of  commeal ;  half  a 
cup  of  superfine  flour ;  one  cup  of  syrup  ;  half  a  tea-spoonful  of  salt. 
Scald  three  quarts  of  milk;  and  stir  into  the  above.  Let  it  stand  half 
an  hour — stir  it  again.  Bake  quickly  until  it  boils,  then  slowly  about 
two  hours. 


206  BECIPE8. 

A  Simple  Cornmeal  Pudding. — Stir  into  a  quart  of  boiling  milt 
the  yolks  of  two  eggs,  three  heaping  spoonfuls  of  meal  and  a  half  a 
cup  of  sugar,  well  beaten  together.  Cook  five  minutes,  stirring  con- 
Btantly  ;  remove  from  the  fire,  and  add  the  whites,  beaten  to  a  stiff 
froth.  Pour  into  a  pudding-dish,  and  bake  one  hour  in  a  moderate 
oven.     Serve  with  cream  and  sugar. 

Batter  Pudding. — Take  a  half  pound  of  flour  ;  one  pint  of  milk  ; 
two  eggs,  and  one  tea-spoonful  of  baking  powder.  Rub  the  baking- 
powder  quite  smooth  ;  mix  it  well  with  the  flour,  then  stir  in  nearly 
half  of  the  milk,  and  beat  it  perfectly  smooth  ;  add  the  remainder  of 
the  milk  and  the  eggs,  well  beaten ;  boil  the  pudding  one  and  a  half 
hours,  in  a  buttered  basin,  and  serve  with  sweet  sauce  ;  or  put  it  into 
a  buttered  dish,  and  bake  it  in  a  quick  oven. 

Baked  Batter  Pudding  with  Fruit. — Take  a  half-pound  of 
flour ;  one  pint  of  milk  ;  the  yolks  of  four,  and  whites  of  two  eggs, 
and  half  a  tea-spoonful  of  baking-powder.  Rub  the  powder  till  smooth, 
mixing  it  well  with  the  flour,  and  as  much  milk  as  will  make  it  a  stiff 
batter  ;  beat  it  till  quite  smooth,  then  add  the  remainder  of  the  milk, 
and  the  eggs,  well  beaten.  Put  some  apples,  cut  as  for  a  pie,  into  a 
buttered  dish  ;  pour  the  batter  over,  and  bake  in  a  moderately  hot 
oven.  Damsons,  currants,  gooseberries,  or  rhubarb,  may  be  used  in 
the  same  way. 

CAKES. 

Cake  is  good  and  wholesome  when  it  is  plain  and  simple.  It 
is  bad  when  it  is  too  rich  and  compounded  of  too  many  ingredients. 
It  may  be  eaten  freely  like  bread  in  the  former  case.  In  the  latter  it 
had  better. not  be  eaten  at  all.  Children  are  generally  fond  of  cake. 
It  ought  always  to  be  so  made  that  they  can  eat  of  it  without  injuring 
the  vigor  of  the  stomach,  which  should  always  be  preserved.  We  would 
always  have  the  family  cake  made  of  the  best  of  coarse  flour.  It  is 
sweeter  and  more  wholesome.  Most  of  the  following  receipts  are  such 
as  have  been  used  in  our  Institution  for  years  ;  a  few  are  favorites  at 
other  institutions.  All  may  be  varied  to  suit  individual  wants,  always 
keeping  in  mind  the  two  words,  simplicity  and  healthfulness. 

Cookies  for  Forty  or  Fifty. — Four  cups  of  sugar ;  one  cup  of 
butter  ;  two  cups  of  sour  milk  ;  two  tea-  spoonfuls  of  cream-yeast, 
brown  or  white ;  flour  sufficient  to  roll  them  out.  Work  them  but 
little  ;  make  them  thin,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

Cup  Cake  for  Seventy-five  or  Eighty. — Four  cups  sugar 
(white)  ;  one  of  butter ;  four  eggs  ;  rub  these  together  ;  then  add  three 
tea-cups  of  sweet  milk  ;  ten  tea-spoonfuls  Taylor's  cream-yeast,  mixed 
with  the  flour  of  which  you  use  a  sufficient  quantity  to  make  the  whole 
into  a  stiff  batter. 

Graham  Cup  Cake. — Unbolted  wheat  meal,  two  cupf  uls ;  buttermilk, 
one  cup;  molasses,  half -cup  ;  butter,  quarter  of  a  cup;  eggs,  two; 
soda,  half  a  tea-spoonful.    Bake  half  an  hour. 


RECIPES.  .  207 

Drop  Cakes. — Pat  six  well-beaten  eggs  into  a  pint  of  thick  cream 
add  a  little  salt,  and  make  it  into  a  thick  batter  with  flour.     Bake  it 
in  rings  or  in  small  cups  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.     The  same  may 
be  made  with  Graham  flour. 

Delicious  Corn  Gem  Cake. — One  quart  of  cornmeal ;  two  quarts 
of  sweet  milk  :  two  heaped  teaspoonfuls  of  cream-yeast ;  two  eggs. 
Bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

Strawberry  Shortcake. — To  a  quart  of  flour  (enough  for  two 
cakes)  put  three  heaping  spoonfuls  of  baking-powder  (Taylor's).  Sift 
together  thoroughly  and  rub  in  one  ounce  of  butter.  Wet  with  a  i)int 
of  sweet  milk,  using  a  spoon.  The  mixture  will  be  somewhat  softer 
than  common  pie-crust.  Do  not  try  to  mould  or  roll  out  the  dough. 
Spread  it  on  tin  pie-plates  by  patting  with  the  hand.  It  should  be 
about  an  inch  in  thickness.  Bake  slowly  at  first  till  the  cakes  have 
had  time  to  rise  ;  then  increase  the  heat,  and  expect  them  to  be  done 
within  twenty-five  minutes.  Split  the  cakes  hot  from  the  oven ; 
spread  the  halves  with  butter  (liberally  if  good),  and  cover  them  with 
the  fruit  previously  sweetened.  Place  one  on  the  other  (the  upper 
half  is  reversed  of  course),  or  each  on  a  plate  by  itself.  It  is  a  good 
rule  to  sugar  your  strawberries  before  you  begin  to  make  your  cake, 
and  if  they  are  large,  or  not  very  ripe,  it  is  best  to  cut  them  in  two,  or 
mash  them  a  little.  Don't  calculate  for  these  cakes  standing  on  the 
stove  hearth  a  minute.  They  should  be  served  like  griddle-cakes — no 
time  lost  between  the  oven  and  the  table.  Observe  these  rules  and 
you  will  have  a  dish  as  dainty  as  Izaak  Walton's  Baked  Fish,  of  which 
he  said,  '*  It  is  too  good  for  any  but  very  honest  people."  When  straw- 
berries are  gone,  red  raspberries  (Clark's  or  Philadelphia)  are  very  nice 
in  their  place.  White  currants  are  also  very  much  liked  as  a  substi- 
tute, and  peach  shortcake  is  hardly  surpassed  by  the  strawberry  itself, 
if  the  peaches  are  first-rate.  All  these  fruits  should  be  prepared  by 
sweetening  an  hour  or  two  before  wanted. 

Shakespeare  Cake. — Six  cups  of  flour ;  one  of  sugar  ;  one  of  rich 
cream ;  eight  eggs. 

Orange  Cake. — Two  cups  of  sugar  ;  yolk  of  five  eggs  and  white  of 
four  ;  half  a  cup  of  water  ;  two  cups  of  flour  ;  one  teaspoon!" ul  of  bak- 
ing-powder, juice  and  grated  rind  of  one  orange.  Spread  and  bake  on 
tin  pie-plates.  This  quantity  should  cover  six  plates.  Make  a  jelly 
by  beating  the  white  of  one  egg  to  a  froth,  and  adding  to  it  three 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  powdered  sugar,  and  the  grated  rind  and  juice 
of  another  orange.  Spread  the  jelly  on  the  cakes  and  lay  one  above 
another  in  three  tiers. 

Silver  Cake. — Two  and  a  half  cups  of  flour  ;  half  a  cup  of  butter ; 
two  cups  of  sugar  ;  three-fourths  of  a  cup  of  sweet  milk ;  white  oi 
eight  eggs  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  baking-powder. 

Gold  Cake. — Two  cups  of  flour;  three-fourths  of  a  cup  of  butter; 
Dne  cup  of  sugar  ;  one  egg,  and  the  yolk  of  eight  eggs  ;  two  spoonfuls 
of  baking-powder. 


208  BECIPES. 

Italian  Cream. — One  quart  of  cream  reduced  by  one  pint  of  milk, 
and  set  on  ice  to  cool.  Beat  the  cream  and  milk  with  a  good  egg- 
beater  fifteen  minutes  thoroughly.  Dissolve  two  ounces  of  gelatine  in 
a  gill  of  water,  and  strain  it  through  a  flannel  bag  into  the  cream.  Add 
two  cups  of  sugar  and  flavor,  if  desired,  with  lemon  or  vanilla.  Stir 
briskly  for  three  or  four  minutes ;  pour  into  serving-dishes  and  set  on 
ice  to  cool. 

Cookies. — One  cup  of  butter  ;  two  of  sugar  ;  half  a  cup  of  milk  ; 
four  eggs  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  baking-powder  ;  half  a  nutmeg.  As 
little  flour  as  possible,  and  roll  out. 

Sponge  Cake. — Six  eggs  ;  the  weight  of  six  eggs  in  sugar,  and  the 
weight  of  four  in  flour,  with  lemon  extract,  or  a  little  grated  lemon 
peel ;  a  little  salt,  and  a  spoonful  of  baking-powder. 

Delicate  Cake. — When  making  cocoanut- custard  use  the  whites 
of  the  eggs  as  follows :  One  cup  of  white  sugar  ;  five  table-spoonfuls  of 
butter  ;  whites  of  six  eggs ;  one  teacup  of  sweet  milk ;  three  cups  of 
prepared  flour,  or  to  the  same  quantity  of  common  flour  add  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  soda,  and  two  of  cream-of -tartar  sifted  in  the  flour.  Flavor 
with  orange,  lemon,  or  vanilla. 

NoTB. — So  Bays  Mrs.  Beecher  :  "  We  would  substitute  a  teacupf  ul  of  sweet,  rich 
cream,  instead  of  the  milk  and  butter.  Also,  cream-yeast  instead  of  prepared  flour, 
or  soda  and  cream-of- tartar."  We  give  in  this  connection  a  recipe  for  cocoanut- 
custard,  as  the  two  can  be  more  economically  made  at  the  same  baking. 

Cocoanut  Custard. — One  pound  of  grated  cocoanut ;  one  pint  of 
rich  milk,  and  six  ounces  of  sugar.  Beat  the  yolks  of  six  eggs  and 
stir  them  into  the  milk  with  the  nut  and  sugar.  Put  into  a  farina- 
kettle,  or  into  a  small  pail  which  you  can  set  into  a  kettle  of  boiling 
water.  Stir  all  the  time  till  very  smooth  and  thick  ;  as  soon  as  it 
comes  to  a  boil  take  off  and  pour  into  cups. 

Ground  Rice  Cake. — Break  five  eggs  into  a  stewpan,  which  place 
in  another,  containing  hot  water  ;  whip  the  eggs  for  ten  minutes  till 
very  light ;  then  mix  in  by  degrees  half  a  pound  of  ground  rice  ;  six 
ounces  of  powdered  sugar  ;  beat  it  well  ;  any  flavor  may  be  introduced  ; 
pour  into  a  buttered  pan  and  bake  half  an  hour. 


MOLDED    FAEINACEA. 

Arrowroot. — Take  four  ounces  of  arrowroot,  one  quart  of  new 
milk,  and  four  ounces  of  white  sugar.  Set  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk 
on  the  fire,  adding  the  sugar  ;  when  boiling,  put  in  the  arrowroot, 
previously  mixed  till  perfectly  smooth  with  half  a  pint  of  cold  milk, 
and  stir  constantly  till  it  has  boiled  three  minutes  ;  and  pour  it  into  a 
mold  previously  dipped  in  cold  water. 

Barley. — Six  ounces  of  Scotch  barley  ;  three  pints  and  a  half  of 
water,  and  six  ounces  of  sugar.  Steep  the  barley  twelve  hours ; 
drain  it,  and  pour  the  water,  boiling,  upon  it ;  stew  quickly  in  the 
oven  in  an  earthenware  jar,  covered,  till  perfectly  soft,  and  all  the 
water  is  absorbed  ;  when  about  half  boiled  enough,  add  the  sugar,  and 


RECIPES.  200 

&  few  drops  of  pure  lemon  juice ;  pour  it  into  a  mold,  and  let  it  stand 
to  set.  When  boiled  quickly,  the  above  quantity  requires  two  hours 
and  a  half,  and  is  a  much  better  color  than  when  it  is  longer  in  prep- 
aration. 

Molded  Rice. — Take  eight  ounces  of  rice  and  one  and  a  half  pints 
of  milk.  Wash,  and  swell  the  rice  in  the  milk,  till  the  whole  of 
the  milk  is  absorbed  and  the  rice  thoroughly  softened  ;  then  pressing 
it  into  a  mold  or  basin  for  half  an  hour,  with  a  weight  upon  it, 
serve  it,  turned  out,  with  preserved  or  stewed  fruit. 

Molded  Sago.  —Take  five  tablespoonfuls  of  sago ;  one-fourth 
pound  of  sugar,  and  a  little  pure  lemon  juice.  Steep  tlie  sago  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour  in  half  a  pint  of  cold  water.  Pour  on  it  one  and  a 
half  pints  of  boiling  water,  and  boil  the  whole  in  an  earthen  vessel  in 
the  oven  about  one  hour,  occasionally  stirring  it.  Pour  into  molds  or 
basins,  and  let  it  stand.  When  cold,  turn  it  out,  and  serve  with 
stewed  fruit. 

Sago  with  Fruit. — Take  four  ounces  of  sago ;  half  a  pint  of 
raspberry  and  currant  juice  (strained),  and  six  ounces  of  loaf  sugar. 
Wash  the  sago  and  steep  it  one  hour  in  cold  water ;  strain  oflE  the  water  ; 
add  the  juice  and  boil  gently  a  short  time,  stirring  it  occasionally,  and 
adding  the  sugar ;  when  clear,  pour  it  into  a  mold  ;  let  it  stand 
twelve  hours,  and  pour  it  on  a  flat  dish. 

Tapioca. — Take  three  ounces  of  tapioca,  two  ounces  of  ground 
rice,  one  pint  and  a  half  of  milk,  and  eight  drops  of  almond-flavor. 
Wash  the  tapioca  in  water  two  or  three  times  ;  mix  with  the  ground 
rice  ;  add  half  a  pint  of  cold  milk,  and  let  it  remain  thirty  minutes ; 
then  add  the  remainder  of  the  milk,  and  simmer  it  half  an  hour, 
stirring  well  the  whole  time  ;  add  the  almond-flavor,  and  pour  it  into 
a  mold  previously  dipped  in  cold  water. 

Cracked  Wheat. — For  a  quart  of  the  cracked  grain  have  two 
quarts  of  water  boiling  in  a  smooth  iron  pot  over  a  quick  fire  ;  stir  in 
the  wheat  slowly  ;  boil  fast  and  stir  constantly  for  the  first  half  hour 
of  cooking,  or  until  it  begins  to  thicken  and  "  pop  up  ; "  then  lift  from 
the  quick  fire  and  place  the  pot  where  the  wheat  will  cook  slowly 
for  an  hour  longer.  Keep  it  covered  closely,  stir  now  and  then,  and 
be  careful  not  to  let  it  burn  at  the  bottom. 

Wlieat  cooked  thus  is  much  sweeter  and  richer  than  when  left  to 
soak  and  simmer  for  hours,  as  many  think  necessary.  White  wheat 
cooks  the  easiest.  When  ready  to  dish  out,  have  your  molds  moistened 
with  cold  water,  cover  lightly,  and  set  in  a  cool  place.  A  handful 
of  raisins  added  with  the  wheat  is  an  addition.  Eat  warm  or  cold, 
with  milk  and  sugar,  or  fruit. 

MISCELLANEOUS  DISHES. 

A  story  is  told  of  an  old  doctor  who  always  emptied  the  odds  and 
ends  of  every  medicine  he  used  into  a  large  bottle,  and  when  he  had  a 
patient  that  he  was  in  doubt  about  as  to  what  medicine  he  needed,  he 
always  gave  him   a  dose  from  this  bottle.     "  Some  one  of  the  man^ 


fllO  RECIPKS. 

drags  will  meet  the  case,"  said  he  :  so  in  this  list  of  miscellaneoua 
dishes,  which  were  not  properly  classified,  or  were  received  after  the 
foregoing  portion  of  this  work  was  in  type,  something  will  be  found  to 
meet  the  wants  of  the  table  when  the  good  house-wife  don'i  know 
what  else  to  get.  We  shall  commence  the  list  with  a  recipe  for 
making  Dr.  Heald's  favorite  bread.  It  was,  so  far  as  we  know, 
invented  by  the  Doctor  and  his  good  wife,  and  is  much  used  in  his 
Institution,  We  also  add  a  few  other  bread  recipes  recently  sent  in 
by  our  correspondents  : — 

Dk.  Heald's  Favorite  Bread. — Stir  the  best  white  wheat  meal 
into  cold  water,  until  the  batter  so  formed  can  no  longer  be  worked 
with  the  spoon.  Then  sprinkle  meal  upon  your  bread-board,  and 
knead  the  dough  thoroughly  for  ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty  minutes,  as  you 
have  time,  and  desire  the  bread  softer  or  harder.  Work  in  all  the 
meal  you  can  while  kneading.  The  more  you  knead  it  and  incorporate 
air  with  it  the  lighter  and  better  it  will  be.  When  sufficiently  kneaded, 
roll  out  with  the  hands  on  the  board  into  a  cylindrical  form  two  inches 
in  diameter  ;  cut  into  pieces  three  inches  long,  and  roll  these  into  rolls 
a  little  shorter  than  your  oven  grate,  and  one  inch  in  diameter  ;  place 
them  on  the  hot  grate,  just  from  the  range  or  stove,  and  bake  in  an 
oven,  not  quite  so  hot  as  for  "  Gems,"  twelve  to  twenty  minutes. 
Break  into  pieces  three  inches  long  for  table.  We  think  this  the  best 
and  sweetest  bread  that  can  be  made. 

Coarse  or  Graham  Bread. — No.  1,  or  fine  Graham  flour,  makes 
the  best  bread.  The  sponge  is  made  at  the  same  time,  and  in  like 
manner  to  wheat  bread,  except  the  water  used,  which  is  ten  degrees 
colder,  as  coarse  flour  rises  quicker  than  fine.  The  same  proportions 
of  milk  and  water  used.  It  is  generally  sweetened  a  little  with  sugar. 
When  the  sponge  is  added,  make  as  stiff  a  batter  as  can  be  stirred 
conveniently.  When  light,  mold  into  soft  loaves.  For  this  reason, 
it  wants  the  hottest  place  in  the  oven. 

Rye  Bread  is  made  like  wheat,  with  one  exception — the  loaves 
are  made  quite  soft.     As  little  flour  as  possible  is  used  in  molding. 

Corn  or  Brown  Bread. — The  sponge  is  made  of  unbolted  rye  or 
wheat.  In  the  morning  take  four  quarts  of  Indian  meal,  make  a  thin 
batter,  using  hot  water.  Let  it  stand  half  an  hour  to  swell ;  then 
pour  in  the  sponge  and  one  quart  of  molasses,  three  quarts  of  rye 
meal,  or  enough  to  make  a  stiff  batter ;  then  put  into  covered  dishes 
to  rise.     Bake  three  hours. 

Boiled  Wheat. — Take  good  plump  wheat  ;  pick  it  carefully,  and 
wash  clean  ;  soak  over  night  in  soft  water,  and  boil  in  same  water  till 
softened  through,  whicli  will  require  several  hours.  Rye  or  barley 
may  be  cooked  in  the  same  way.  Serve  with  cream,  sugar,  and  ripe 
fruit. 

Brown  Bread. — Mrs.  Susan  Everett,  M.  D.,  sends  the  following 
from  a  lady  who  attended  one  of  her  courses  of  lectures.  The  author 
states  that  twenty-five  years  ago  she  attended  a  course  of  lectures  on 
hygiene  and  the  lessons  she  then  learned  have  enabled  her  to  keep  la 


RECIPES.  211 

good  health  ever  since.  She  sent  this  recipe  with  a  loaf  of  dehciouB 
brown  bread  to  Mrs.  Everett  during  her  course  of  lectures  at  Perth 
Amboy,  N.  J.  We  regret  that  we  are  not  permitted  to  give  the  lady's 
name  : — "  We  make  our  own  yeast  from  hops  of  our  own  raising.  The 
vine  makes  a  delightful  shade  for  the  south  end  of  our  back  porch, 
and  from  that  vine  we  gather,  the  last  of  August,  hops  enough  for  our 
own  use  during  the  year,  and  also  for  some  of  our  friends.  To  three 
pints  of  water  put  a  handful  of  hops,  and  boil  tliem  half  an  hour ;  put 
into  your  yeast  pot  or  jar  six  tablespoon fuls  of  flour  and  one  teaspoon- 
f  ul  of  salt ;  set  your  jar  near  the  kettle,  and  dip  the  hop  tea  into  the 
jar  through  a  sieve  or  colander.  When  you  have  strained  enough  to 
wet  all  the  flour,  stir  it  well,  and  then  strain  upon  it  the  rest  of  the 
hop  water.  The  mixture  should  be  about  the  consistency  of  batter 
for  griddle  cakes.  When  it  is  cool,  not  cold,  stir  in  a  gill  of  good 
yeast ;  set  it  in  a  warm  place  ;  do  not  cover  it  close.  When  fermented, 
put  it  in  a  cool  place,  and  cover  close.  This  is  the  yeast  from  which 
we  set  our  white  bread  at  evening.  The  next  morning  we  take  a  good 
handful  of  the  dough;  put  it  in  a  large  yellow  bowl,  and  add  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt,  a  half  cup  of  molasses,  a  pint  of  lukewarm  water, 
and  enough  Graham  flour,  making  a  dough  softer  than  for  white 
bread  ;  set  it  to  rise  and  bake.  We  do  not  knead  this  bread.  This 
makes  two  loaves.     Brown  bread  is  not  improved  by  sugar." 

Anger's  Method  of  Making  Gems. — "  To  the  Editor. — By  your 
special  request  I  will  here  state  my  experience  in  regard  to  the  method 
of  making  the  Graham  gems.  The  flour  is  the  principal  ingredient, 
and  on  it  depends  chiefly  the  success  of  the  baker  ;  it  must  necessarily 
be  of  the  very  best  kind,  made  of  the  best  winter  wheat,  and  be  pos- 
sessed of  the  qualities  commonly  known  as  "  dry  and  strong."  The 
treatment  varies  according  to  the  qualities  of  the  flour.  If  the  flour  is 
of  the  kind  -described  above,  the  dough  can  be  baked  immediately  ; 
but  if  the  flour  be  moist  the  dough  must  be  allowed  to  stand  in  a  warm 
place  for  at  least  four  hours,  in  order  to  obtain  a  palatable  article.  The 
German  hygienists  allow  the  dough  for  their  unleavened  bread  to 
stand  six  hours,  in  every  case  ;  this  is,  however,  unnecessary,  provided 
the  flour  is  of  good  quality.  The  next  in  order  is  a  good  baking  oven, 
one  that  is  capable  of  baking  equally  as  well  from  the  top  as  from  the 
bottom ;  it  is  difficult  to  state  the  exact  amount  of  heating  required,  as 
some  ovens  are  more  easily  heated  than  others  ;  suffice  it  to  say  that 
a  quick  oven  is  necessary,  and  that  the  glaring  heat,  which  always  ac- 
companies a  freshly-heated  oven,  be  allowed  to  pass  away  before  bak- 
ing the  gems,  as  they  are  very  apt  to  blister  on  the  top,  especially  the 
water  gems.  In  mixing  the  dough  take  blood- warm  milk  or  water, 
adding  the  flour  and  beating  thoroughly  for  at  least  five  minutes.  It  is 
better  to  retain  some  of  the  milk  or  water  one  intends  to  use,  making 
the  dough  slightly  tliicker,  beat  it  well,  and  then  add  the  remaining 
milk.  By  this  method  the  dough  becomes  more  thoroughly  mixed, 
and  is  entirely  freed  of  the  small  lumps  that  are  so  difficult  to  get  rid 
of.  If  milk  is  used,  make  the  dough  thick  enough,  so  that  it  can  be 
spooned  out  comfortably  ;  but  for  water  gems  it  must  be  made  some- 
what thicker. 

"  The  pans  used  in  baking  the  gems  are  of  oval  shape,  measuring  two 


212  RECIPES. 

and  a  half  by  one  and  a  half  inches  ;  eight  of  these  unite  in  making 
one  pan  ;  there  are  also  some  pans  made  of  tin,  but  as  the  cast  iron 
pan  retains  the  heat  longer  it  is  the  best. 

"  If  the  dough  is  ready  and  the  oven  heated,  then  put  some  of  the  pans 
in  the  oven  and  allow  them  to  become  quite  hot ;  take  one  out,  grease 
it  with  a  clean  rag  dipped  in  butter,  and  drop  the  dough  in  the  pan 
with  a  large  spoon  ;  return  the  pan  quickly  to  the  oven.  If  the  pan 
is  too  hot,  so  that  when  greased  the  butter  is  burned,  allow  it  to  cool 
before  using  it,  as  the  gems  will  be  apt  to  stick  to  the  pan  and  be 
burned.  After  eight  or  ten  minutes  they  must  be  looked  after,  and  if 
they  are  getting  too  brown  must  be  put  in  a  cooler  place  and  allowed 
to  bake  for  another  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  more.  They  ought  not  to 
be  taken  out  before  they  are  thoroughly  baked,  as  they  will  become  wet 
and  doughy  if  taken  out  too  soon,  and  no  amount  of  after  baking  can  undo 
this.  They  may  be  eaten  hot  with  impunity,  a  quality  not  possessed 
by  any  other  form  of  bread. 

"L.  F.  J.  Anger." 

[We  can  testify  from  personal  knowledge  that  Mr.  Anger's  gems 
are  unsurpassed  in  delicacy  and  perfection  by  any  we  have  ever 
tasted. — Ed.] 

Rusk. — Beat  three  eggs  thoroughly,  then  beat  in  a  cupful  of  sugar, 
and  a  little  flavoring  to  the  taste  of  lemon  or  nutmeg.  Add  a  tumbler 
and  a-half  of  rich  cream  which  has  first  been  mixed  with  a  little  flour  ; 
use  no  more  flour  than  will  give  it  consistency  enough  to  be  molded. 
Let  it  rise  all  night  or  all  day,  and  when  very  light  put  it  upon  tins  to 
rise  again  before  baking.  Bake  in  a  quick  oven  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes. 

Tomato  Custard. — This  is  said  to  be  a  beneficial  diet  for  consump- 
tives. It  is  made  by  straining  finely  stewed  tomatoes  through  a  coarse 
sieve,  and  adding  two  pints  of  milk  which  has  been  scalded  and  cooled, 
and  one  pint  of  tomatoes,  for  four  eggs ,  and  one  teaspoonf ul  of  sugar. 
Bake  in  small  cups  quickly. 

Cooking  Raisins. — It  is  well  to  cook  before  putting  them  into  pies, 
cakes,  or  puddings.  Soaking  is  not  sufiicient.  Steaming  them  by 
pouring  a  small  quantity  of  boiling  water  among  them  in  a  tightly 
closing  dish,  and  allowing  them  plenty  of  time  to  cook  before  opening., 
is  a  good  plan.  When  raisins  are  rightly  cooked  before  using,  they 
are  plumper  and  more  palatable,  and  can  be  eaten  without  injury  by 
most  dyspeptics. 

Tomato  Pie. — Peel  and  slice  ripe  tomatoes  and  lay  them  on  dishes 
as  for  apple  pie.  Sprinkle  on  a  little  flour  ;  and  sugar  to  suit  the 
taste.  Bake  with  two  crusts,  in  a  moderate  oven.  This  as  well  as 
green  apple  pie  can  be  made  with  one  crust  only,  by  stewing  the  to- 
matoes or  apples  before  putting  into  pies. 

Barley  Pudding. — Prepare  a  half  pound  of  pearl  barley,  one 
quart  of  new  milk,  and  six  ounces  of  sugar.  Put  the  barley  in  fi-esh 
water,  and  let  it  steep  twelve  hours  ;  pour  the  water  from  it,  add  the 
milk,  sugar,  and  a  small  salt-spoonful  of  salt,  and  bake  it  in  a  slow 
oven.    If  a  richer  pudding  be  required,  take  it  out  of  the  oven  whea 


RECIPES.  _      213 

aearly  done,  stir  in  two  ounces  of  butter,  four  well  beaten  eggs,  a 
little  flavoring,  or  any  Buital)le  seasoning  ;  return  it  to  the  oven  in  a 
buttered  dish,  and  bake  it  one  hour. 

Asparagus  and  Toast. — Asparagus,  the  best  of  the  greens.  Wash, 
pin  up  in  a  cloth,  and  boil  gently  in  a  little  pure  water  about  twenty 
minutes.  It  goes  well  with  samp  and  potatoes,  without  condiments, 
but  some  people  will  not  be  content  without  dressing.  The  least  ob- 
jectionable dressing  is  the  white  sauce — milk  thickened  with  wheat- 
meal  and  slightly  salted.  "  Asparagus  toast"  is  made  by  cutting  wheat- 
meal  biscuit  into  thin  slices,  dipping  in  hot  milk,  spreading  on  a  plat- 
ter, laying  the  boiled  asparagus  on  it,  and  pouring  over  it  the  white 
sauce.  "Asparagus  peas"  are  prepared  by  just  cutting  into  bits  the 
tender  part  of  the  raw  asparagus,  boiling  in  just  water  enough  to 
cover  it  until  done,  skimming  out,  dishing,  and  pouring  over  it  the 
white  sauce. 

Gravy  for  Children. — For  a  pint  of  gravy  you  want  a  large 
spoonful  of  flour,  stirred  smoothly  into  half  a  teacup  of  the  cold  milk. 
Let  the  milk  be  boiling  when  this  is  added,  and  kept  constantly  stir- 
ring,  or  the  gravy  will  be  lumpy.  If  cream  is  used  instead  of  milk 
no  butter  is  necessary.  The  milk  should  be  stirred  while  coming  to 
the  boil  to  keep  it  from  burning.  It  is  less  likely  to  burn  if  a  little 
butter  is  melted  in  the  spider  before  pouring  in  the  milk.  Add  a  little 
salt.  For  bread  and  potatoes  it  is  better  by  far  than  meat  gravy,  and 
not  only  palatable  and  wholesome,  but  nutritious. 

Oatmeal  Jelly. — A  very  delicate  breakfast-dish  can  be  made  of 
"  oatmeal  jelly."  Soak  half  a  pint  of  good  oatmeal  over  night  in  one 
and  a  half  pints  of  water.  In  tlie  morning  drain  off  the  water  through 
a  sieve,  adding  to  it  one  and  a  half  pints  hot  water,  and  put  it  to  boil 
over  a  quick  fire.  Stir  till  it  boils,  then  set  it  back  and  let  it  simmer 
ten  minutes.  Turn  it  into  molds,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  it  will  be 
set  sufficiently  to  turn  out  into  saucers,  and  will  be  warm  enough  to  eat. 
Serve  at  once,  without  trimming,  or  with  a  little  milk  or  sweet- 
ened fruit-juice.  The  soaked  meal  that  is  left  can  be  utilized  in 
batter-biscuit,  or  corn-meal  mush,  or  made  into  a  porridge  by  itself. 
In  the  latter  shape  it  is  bland,  and  peculiarly  suitable  for  invalids  who 
have  not  yet  learned  to  like  oatmeal.  These  preparations  are  in  no 
way  better  than  the  whole  oatmeal,  excepting  for  variety. 

Tomato  Soup. — Tc  make  one  gallon,  take  three  quarts  of  good  beef 
stock  ;  one  medium-sized  carrot  ;  one  medium-sized  turnip  :  one  beet ; 
one  small  onion.  Peel  and  cut  these  up  in  small  pieces  ;  then  add 
three  quarts  of  best  fresh  tomatoes,  and  boil  for  an  hour.  Strain 
through  a  sieve  ;  then  put  five  ounces  of  butter  in  a  saucer ;  heat  it 
to  a  light  brown  ;  now,  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  add,  while  hot,  three 
table-spoonfuls  of  flour.  Put  in  the  boiled  tomatoes,  and  season  to 
your  taste.  Add  one  dessert-spoonful  of  sugar.  Put  it  on  the  fire  and 
Btir  it  till  it  boils.  Let  it  boil  for  five  minutes,  skimming  it  the 
while.  It  is  now  ready  for  the  table.  More  sugar  and  flour  can  be 
added,  if  necessary. 

Use  for  Cold  Mush. — A  good  way  to  use  cold  mush  of  any  kind 
either  oatmeal,  Graham,  or  Indian.     After  taking  off  the  skin  which 


214  EECIPES. 

forms,  or  any  part  which  may  be  dry,  mix  a  little  milk  with 
the  mush  to  soften  it  ;  then  work  in  Graham  or  middlings  till  you  can 
make  the  dough  up  into  balls  as  large  as  a  black  walnut,  and  bake  on 
the  grate  m  a  moderately  quick  oven. 

Boiled  Rice. — Wash  and  drain  off  one  pint  of  good  new  rice  ;  put 
into  a  covered  saucepan  with  one  quart  of  boiling  water.  Boil  briskly 
for  five  or  ten  minutes,  or  until  the  water  is  mostly  absorbed  ;  then 
set  on  one  side  of  the  stove,  and  let  it  steam  steadily  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes.  Keep  closely  covered  all  the  time,  and  do  not  stir  it  at  all 
after  it  begins  to  boil.  The  Southern  people,  who  know  both  how  to 
cook  and  to  eat  rice,  never  allow  the  lid  to  be  removed  while  the  steam- 
ing is  going  on  ;  perhaps  just  lifting  one  side  of  the  cover  to  peep  in, 
and  see  that  it  does  not  burn.  When  done  just  right,  every  grain  will 
be  swelled  to  its  utmost,  and  bursted  open.  To  be  eaten  as  a  veget- 
able, or  with  cream  or  maple  syrup. 

Oatmeal  Mush, — Julia  Colman,  who  has  charge  of  the  cooking  of 
the  Hygienic  Hotel,  No.  13  &  15  Laight  Street,  New  York,  hands  us 
the  following  method  : 

"  To  three  quarts  of  boiling  water  add  one  level  teaspoonful  of 
gait  and  one  quart  of  good  oatmeal,  stirring  while  the  latter  is  poured 
in  slowly.  Let  it  stand  where  it  will  boil  gently,  and  stir  it  occasion- 
ally for  ten  minutes,  or  until  the  meal  is  evenly  diffused  through  the 
water.  Then  cover  close,  and  place  where  it  will  barely  simmer  for 
one  hour.  Do  not  stir  it  during  that  time.  Serve  warm,  messing  it 
as  little  as  possible. 

Hygienic  Plum  Pudding. — This  is  from  the  Dietetic  Reformer : 
"  Put  together  in  a  basin  some  currants  and  sultana  raisins  that  have 
been  well  washed  and  dried ;  add  wheat-meal  flour  in  proportions  pre- 
ferred., whether  for  a  plain  pudding  or  more  fruit ;  stir  in  gradually 
cold  filtered  rain-water,  beating  the  mixture  well ;  make  it  the  usual 
consistency  of  plum-pudding  ;  bake  in  a  well-buttered  dish,  or  boil 
several  hours  in  a  cloth.  To  suit  some  tastes,  add  a  little  sugar, 
candied  peel,  and  grated  lemon  peel." 

A  Delicious  Cracker. — A  delicious  and  wholesome  cracker. — Take 
equal  parts  "  middlings  "  and  Graham  flour.  Wet  with  new  or  sweet 
milk,  and  knead  rather  stiff.  Work  it  a  good  deal  on  the  board  ;  then 
roll  out  to  one  quarter  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  cut  out  in  dia- 
monds or  squares ;  prick  them,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven.  Bake  best 
right  on  the  grates. 

Mixed  Gems. — Take  a  half-pint  of  corn-meal,  pour  boiling  water 
upon  it,  enough  to  wet  it ;  then  cool  with  skim-milk  to  the  consistency 
of  pancake  batter  ;  and  thicken  with  equal  parts  of  "middlings"  and 
Graham  flour  :  to  be  baked  the  same  as  gems,  only  not  so  quickly. 

Quaker  Mince  Pies. — Chop  fine  a  half-dozen  of  large  bell-flowera 
or  greenings  ;  add  one  cup  of  raisins,  well  cooked  ;  one  cup  of  canned 
cherries,  whortle-berries,  or  other  fruit  to  suit  the  taste  ;  then  a  pinch 
of  salt,  and  sugar  or  syrup  enough  to  sweeten  to  the  taste  ;  lastly,  add 
a  ijup  of  sweet  cream  when  ready  to  use.     Bake  with  cream  crust. 


RECIPES.  215 

Baked  or  Steamed  Indian  Pudding. — For  one  quart  of  sweet 
milk  take  a  half-dozen  large  spoonfuls  of  best  corn-meal  ;  wet  it  witU 
pyrup,  and  pour  the  milk  over  boiling  hot — stirring  it  meanwhile. 
Chop  fine  three  or  four  large  sub-acid  apples,  and  stir  in :  steam  or 
bake  three-quarters  of  an  hour  ;  then  beat  an  egg  with  a  spoonful  of 
sugar,  and  add  a  little  milk,  and  stir  in. 

New  Way  to  Serve  Egg  Plant. — The  vegetable  egg  we  think 
has  been  undervalued,  more  on  account  of  its  improper  preparation 
than  for  its  demerit — the  saturating  it  in  butter  and  lard  being  the 
greatest  objection. 

Wife  has  this  season  prepared  as  follows  :  Peel  and  then  cut  egg  in 
slices  or  pieces  ;  add  water  enough  to  boil  soft,  and  salt  to  suit 
taste.  When  soft  pour  off  water  and  mash  it ;  make  a  batter  of  flour 
and  eggs  (chicken) ;  mix  the  whole  together,  and  bake  like  griddle- 
cake.  When  the  proper  quantities  are  mixed  it  will  make  a  nice 
brown  cake,  with  no  grease  (except  to  keep  free  from  pan),  and 
free  from  the  strong  wild  taste  which  is  generally  disliked.  We  think 
the  egg  is  destined  to  become  a  more  general  article  of  food,  especially 
among  hygienists.     So  oays  11.  M.  Engle. 

Maple  Syrup. — This  is  the  most  delicious  of  the  sweets.  Every 
family  should  have  some.  If  given  to  children  on  oatmeal  or  cracked 
wheat  for  breakfast  every  morning  they  would  thrive  like  calves  well 
fed  with  milk.  To  make  a  good  maple  syrup,  melt  with  one  pound  of 
maple  sugar  two  pounds  of  best  white  sugar.  It  will  not  do  to  use 
the  brown,  as  this  is  not  clean  enough. 

Tomato  Gravy. — Scald,  peel,  and  cut  very  fine,'apintof  good, 
ripe  tomatoes  ;  put  into  a  stewpan,  with  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  and 
stew  them  one  hour ;  stir  frequently  to  keep  them  free  from  the 
bottom,  and  to  make  them  very  smooth  and  fine.  When  they  are 
stewed  down  to  a  pint,  rub  a  large  spoonful  of  Hour  with  a  lump  of 
butter  the  size  of  a  walnut,  and  stir  into  the  tomatoes  ;  stir  thoroughly 
till  they  are  cooked,  then  pour  a  pint  of  rich,  sweet  creajn  into  the 
middle  of  the  thickened  tomatoes,  and  let  them  become  boiling  hot  be- 
fore you  stir  them  ;  then  stir  well  together,  and  boil  five  minutes.  Salt 
to  taste.  Cut  a  slice  of  brown  bread,  or  split  gems  into  four  pieces,  lay 
into  a  vegetable  dish,  and  pour  the  tomatoes  over  them.  This  is  very 
nice  when,  well  cooked,  and  all  the  ingredients  are  sweet  and  fresh. 
Children  who  are  fond  of  tomatoes  like  this  modification  of  cream  and 
gravy. 

Apple  Pan  Doody. — For  a  family  of  six  persons  use  a  two-quart 
tin  or  earthen  pan.  Use  the  best  pie  apples.  Pare  and  slice  the  apples 
nicely.  1st.  Place  a  layer  of  apples  about  an  inch  thick,  season  with 
a  speck  of  salt  and  sugar.  2d,  Put  a  layer  of  cracker  crumbs  half 
inch  thick.  Alternate  a  layer  of  apples  and  cracker  crumbs  until  the 
pan  is  full.  Bake  one  hour,  and  serve  with  cream  or  rich  milk. — 
R.  I.  Greenings  are  the  apples  for  pies  and  puddings. 

Baked  Apples. — Select  sound  apples  of  one  size — pippins  or  some 
Dther  well-flavored  apple — peel  and  core  ;  use  a  small  knife  with  a 
narrow  blade,  and  take  out  the  core  of   the  apple  from  the  blossom 


216  RE(JIPE8. 

end — the  core  lies  nearest  to  tliat  part-  -do  not  go  throagh,  but  make 
a  cup,  into  which  put  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar  ;  set  the  apples  close  to- 
gether in  a  deep  dish,  add  a  teacupful  of  water,  put  into  the  oven  and 
bake.  Sweet  apples  prepared  in  the  same  manner  are  very  nice.  A 
lemon  cut  in  very  thin  slices,  and  a  slice  laid  on  each  apple  may  be  a 
desirable  flavoring. 

Boiled  Pears. — Take  hard  pears,  wash,  and  remove  specks  ;  be 
sure  that  they  are  sound  at  the  core  ;  put  them  into  a  fruit-kettle, 
cover  them  with  water — at  least  a  quart — and  boil  them  slowly  an 
hour  ;  then  add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sugar  to  make  a  lively  syrup ; 
boil  half  or  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  serve  cold. 

Crushed  Wheat. — This  prepai'ation  of  wheat  is  not  yet  generally 
in  use  by  those  who  are  in  favor  of  farinaceous  food.  The  whole  grain 
is  "  crushed "  in  such  a  manner  as  to  retain  all  its  particles  quite 
together.  Nothing  is  lost  or  sifted  out.  It  is  made  from  good  white 
wheat,  and  is  very  clean,  and  well  put  up  in  packages.  It  cooks 
more  readily  than  the  cracked  grain,  has  more  gluten,  and  has  all  the 
sweetness  and  flavor  of  the  wheat.  I  cook  it  just  as  I  do  oatmeal ;  hav- 
ing a  quart  or  two  of  boiling  water  on  the  fire,  stir  in  two  handf  uls  of 
the  grain — all  I  can  grasp — for  each  quart  of  water  ;  boil  rapidly  for 
twenty  minutes,  stirring  frequently  to  prevent  its  adhering  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  kettle  ;  then  let  it  simmer  over  a  slow  fire  for  ten  minutes, 
covered  tightly.  I  like  it  better  when  cool ;  the  gluten  forms  a  jelly, 
and  when  molded  makes  a  handsome  dish  for  the  table.  To  be  eaten 
warm  a  little  more  grain  must  be  added  when  you  make  it.  It  is  de- 
licious and  wholesome  with  cream,  light  fruits,  and  sugar. 

French  Honey. — Break  one  pound  of  lump  sugar  into  pieces,  put  it 
into  a  pan,  and  add  the  yolks  of  six  eggs,  and  the  v/hites  of  four,  the 
juice  of  four  lemons,  and  the  grated  rind  of  two.,  and  three  ounces  of 
butter.  Stir  this  mixture  over  a  slow  fire,  until  it  becomes  thick  like 
honey.  It  will  keep  a  year,  put  into  a  dry,  cool  place.  This  is  nice  for 
a  variety  of  tarts  or  shells. 

Jellies. — Currants  and  grapes  make  the  best  and  cheapest  jelly  for 
home  use.  Select  large,  ripe  currants,  fresh  from  the  bushes  as  possi- 
ble, pick  out  all  the  leaves  or  old  currants,  let  tlie  clusters  remain  on 
the  stems  ;  weigh  six  pounds  of  the  fruit  thus  cleaned,  put  into  a  stone 
or  earthen  vessel,  add  a  pint  of  fresh  water,  then  take  a  wooden 
masher  and  crush  the  berries  thoroughly.  I  have  a  strong,  thin  linen 
towel  sewed  firmly  into  a  poke,  into  which  I  put  a  pint  or  so  of  the 
crushed  berries,  wring  and  squeeze  them  completely  ;  emptying  and 
filling  until  all  the  juice  is  secured,  of  which  there  will  be  about  five 
pints.  To  this  juice  add  five  pounds  of  best  brown  sugar,  putting  the 
whole  into  a  porcelain  kettle  ever  a  good  fire,  stir  slowly  with  a  silver 
or  wooden  spoon,  and  let  it  boil  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  By  this 
time,  if  the  fruit  is  fresh,  there  is  no  failure  of  the  jelly.  Then  I  put 
it  up  in  pint  size,  self-sealing  glass  jars  for  common  use.  It  is,  I  really 
think,  as  cheap,  and  far  more  delicious  for  meats, than  cranberries,  and 
as  a  relish  of  fruit.  It  costs  about  twenty-five  cents  a  pint,  or  pound. 
The  best  brown  sugar  makes  the  richest  jelly,  and  with  more  uniform 
Buccess.     If  you  want  a  delicate  color,  and  more  acid  jelly,  use  white 


KECIPES.  217 

Bugar.    Black  currant  jelly  is  considered  very  beneficial  in  diarrhoea, 
and  other  diseases  of  like  nature. 

Grape  Jam. — Slip  the  skins  ofT  from  the  pulps  and  put  them  into 
an  earthen  dish  ;  put  the  pulps  into  a  porcelain  kettle  over  the  fire, 
cover  them,  and  bring  them  to  a  boil,  being  careful  not  to  burn  th«f»ra  ; 
boil  and  stir  them  till  the  pulps  are  broken  and  the  seeds  are  separated  ; 
remove  from  the  fire,  and  let  the  seeds  settle  to  the  bottom  of  the  ket- 
tle ;  then  pour  ofE  the  juice  or  s-trai.i  it  through  a  colander,  and  pul 
back  into  the  kettle  ;  add  the  pulps  and  their  rveight  in  best  brown 
sugar  ;  simmer  slowly,  stirring  frequently  for  an  hour  ;  put  up  as  you 
would  fruit  in  glass  cans.  If  you  cook  it  long  enough  to  keep  without 
being  air-tight,  the  flavor  of  the  grape  will  be  spoiled. 

Plums  and  late  Cherries  are  excellent  fruits  for  jams,  light  preserv- 
ing, and  canning.  Both  of  these  fruits  retain  their  own  delicious  flavor 
better  if  the  seeds  are  left  in.  They  are  particularly  relishable  with 
farinaceous  food. 

Jam  and  Jelly.-  -The  fruit  that  comes  from  the  vines  or  canes  latest 
in  the  season  makes  the  poorest  jelly.  If  curnintshang  long  upon  the 
bushes,  they  lose  most  of  their  jelly-making  property.  They  need  to 
be  used  as  soon  as  possible  after  gathering.  One  wlio  desires  clear, 
fine-flavored  jelly  will  not  squeeze  the  jelly-bag  if  it  be  of  loose 
material.  Fine  flannel  is  best  for  this  purpose,  and  when  this  is  used 
some  pressure  is  allowable  ;  but  we  wish  to  strain  the  juice  not  only 
free  from  stems,  skins,  and  seeds,  but  free  from  all  fine  particles. 

Raspberry  Jam. —  One  pound  of  sugar  to  each  pound  of  berries, 
and  nearly  a  pint  of  currant  juice.  Put  the  sugar  and  berries  tog  iither 
in  a  pan  over  the  fire,  and  with  potato-masher,  or  wooden  spoon,  keep 
mashing  and  stirring  them  constantly  to  prevent  burning.  When  they 
are  well  mashed,  add  the  currant- juice,  and  boil  briskly,  still  stirring 
it  carefully.  Just  before  it  actually  boils  skim  it  well.  Let  it  boil 
about  three-quarters  of  an  hour  to  bring  it  to  the  right  consistency.  It 
is  best  to  put  it  up  in  cups,  bowls,  or  fruit-jars,  as  it  does  not  keep  so 
well  after  being  disturbed.  Cover  the  cups  with  firm  paper  varnished 
with  white  of  ef^g,  and  pressed  closely  around  over  the  edges  of  the 
cups.     Jam  should  be  kept  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Grape  Jelly. — Put  the  grapes  in  a  jelly-pan  with  a  very  little 
water;  simmer  on  the  fire  till  quite  soft ;  then  strain  through  a  col- 
ander or  flannel  bag;  when  the  juice  is  all  run  out,  measure,  and  allow 
fully  one  pound  of  loaf  sugar  to  every  pint  of  juice:  boil  till  it 
jellies  ;  when  it  has  boiled  twenty  minutes,  try  a  little  in  a  saucer.  It 
should  be  watched  for  fear  of  boiling  over.  Common  sugar  may  be 
used,  but  the  jelly  will  not  keep  so  long. 

Barberry  Jelly. — Scald  the  berries  on  the  stems,  and  squeeze 
them  through  a  thin  cloth  or  flannel.  Take  one  pound  of  sugar  to 
one  pound  of  juice.  Boil  together  half  an  hour.  Try  a  spoonful  of 
the  juice  in  a  teacup  of  ice- water  ;  if  it  sinks  to  the  bottom  in  a  solid 
form,  the  jelly  has  come — if  not,  boil  a  while  longer. 

Barberri/  Jam  is  excellent  if  made  by  cooking  and  stirring  with  the 
berries  a  quantity  of  good  sweet  apples.  Boil  till  the  apples  b-th 
thoroughly  cooked  and  mixed,  then  can  in  glass  cans. 


218  RECIPES. 

Baked  Irish  Potatoes. — ^Boil  soft  eight  good-sized  Irish  potatoes, 
mash  them,  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  a  pint  of  milk  :  salt 
to  taste.     Put  into  a  dish  and  bake  half  an  hour.  . 

To  Dress  Sweet  Potatoes. — Pat  two  or  three  platefuls  in  the 
oven,  bake  till  quite  soft ;  peel  and  put  them  on  a  tin  sheet,  and  bake 
again  for  half  an  hour. 

Another  Way. — Another  mode  of  dressing  sweet  potatoes.  Boil 
the  potatoes  until  quite  soft ;  peel  and  rub  smooth  with  a  spoonful  of 
butter  and  salt.     Bake  in  a  pan,  and  turn  into  a  vegetable  dish. 

Rice  Cakes. — One  pint  of  soft-boiled  rice,  a  teaspoonful  of  butter, 
an  egg,  half  a  pint  of  milk,  and  half  a  pint  of  rice  flour :  salt  to  the 
taste.     Beat  all  well  together,  and  bake  in  patties. 

Corn  Muffins. — To  three  pints  of  corn  meal  add  a  pint  of  tepid 
water,  a  teacupf ul  of  bakers'  yeast,  a  tablespoonful  of  sugar,  and  a 
teaspoonful  of  salt ;  mix  all  well  together  and  bake  in  rings.  To  be 
mixed  at  night,  for  use  the  next  morning,  etc. 

Corn  Dodgers. — One  quart  of  corn  meal,  a  little  salt,  and  water 
enough  to  make  the  batter  just  stiff  enough  to  make  into  cakes  with 
the  hands.     Bake  in  a  Dutch  oven,  on  tin  sheets. 

North  Carolina  Dabs. — One  pint  milk,  two  eggs,  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter,  wine  glass  of  milk  :  scald  the  meal,  and  while  hot  rub  in 
the  butter  ;  beat  the  eggs  very  light,  and  add  to  the  meal,  stir  in  the 
milk  and  a  little  salt.  Drop  the  mixture  from  a  spoon  upon  a  tin  sheet, 
and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven. 

Muffins. — One  pint  of  milk,  one  dessert  spoonful  of  butter,  two 
eggs,  half  gill  of  yeast,  a  little  salt,  and  as  much  flour  as  will  make  it 
thick  enough  for  a  spoon  to  stand.     To  be  baked  in  rings. 

Graham  Muffins. — One  pint  of  Graham  flour,  a  pint  of  milk,  one 
egg,  a  little  salt. 

Loaf  Rice  Bread. — One  pint  of  rice  flour,  three  eggs,  a  spoonful 
butter,  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  beat  the  eggs  quite  light ;  stir  in  butter, 
flour,  and  salt.  Dissolve  a  yeast  powder  in  a  little  warm  water  ;  mix 
well  with  the  other  ingredients  ;  pour  into  the  pan  and  place  it  imme- 
diately in  the  oven.     Bake  nearly  an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven. 

Pan  Journey  Cake. — Half  pint  rice,  dessert  spoonful  of  butter, 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  milk,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  fine  rice  flour  ;  boil 
the  rice  quite  soft,  and  stir  the  butter  in  while  hot.  If  the  bread  is 
wanted  for  breakfast,  the  rice  must  be  boiled  the  night  before  ;  and  if 
wanted  for  tea  it  must  be  prepared  in  time  for  it  to  become  cold  before 
the  other  ingredients  are  mixed  in.  When  ready  to  bake,  stir  in  the 
milk  and  rice  flour  ;  spread  the  mixture  about  half  an  inch  thick,  in  a 
shallow  pan  well  greased.    Bake  half  an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven. 

Okra  Soup. — Cut  up  in  fine  slices  two  soup  plates  of  okra,  and  put 
iBto  a  digester  with  five  quarts  of  water  and  a  little  salt— at  nina 
D'clock.  At  ten  o'clock,  add  your  meat ;  at  eleven,  peel  a  soup  plate  and 


RECIPES.  219 

I,  half  of  tomatoes,  and  after  straining  add  to  the  soup,  througli  the 
colander  ;  then  season  with  pepper  and  salt  ;  allow  all  the  iugredienta 
to  boil  until  two  o'clock,  when  it  is  fit  to  be  served  up. 

"  Every-Day  "  Pudding. — Half  a  loaf  of  stale  brown  home-made 
bread  soaked  in  a  quart  of  milk  ;  four  eggs,  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
flour  ;  a  little  fruit,  dried  or  fresh,  is  a  great  addition.  Steam  or  boil 
three-fourths  of  an  hour.     Serve  vrith  the  following  sauce  : 

Butter,  sugar,  and  water,  thickened  with  a  little  cornstarch  and 
flavored  with  lemon  juice  and  rind. 

Fancy  Disn. — Take  half  a  dozen  eggs,  make  a  hole  at  one  end 
and  empty  the  shells ;  fill  them  with  blanc  mange  ;  when  stifE  and 
cold  take  off  the  shells ;  pare  lemon  rind  very  thin,  boil  in  water  till 
tender,  then  cut  in  thin  strips  to  resemble  straw,  and  preserve  in  su- 
gar ;  fill  a  deep  dish  half  full  of  jelly  or  nice  cold  custard,  put  the 
eggs  in  and  lay  the  straws,  nest-like,  around  them. 

A  NICE  Strawberry  Dessert. — A  nice  dessert  is  made  by  filling 
coffee-cups  loosely  with  strawberries,  and  pouring  over  them  Graham- 
flour  mush ;  or  instead,  thicken  sweet  boiling  milk  to  a  consistency 
which  is  thin  enough  to  fill  the  interstices  between  the  berries,  and 
yet  thick  enough  to  be  firm  when  cool.  Turn  out  and  serve  up  with 
cream  and  sugar. 

Eggs  without  Boiling. — Drop  eggs  into  a  sauce-pan  of  boiling 
water,  which  remove  immediately  from  the  fire.  Let  them  remain  in 
the  hot  water  five  minutes. 

Beans  without  Pork. — Some  families  seem  not  to  know  that 
baked  beans  are  delicious  without  pork,  if  properly  cooked  and  sea- 
soned. Boil  a  pot  of  beans  until  they  are  cooked  thoroughly  soft,  take 
half  for  one  day's  bean-soup,  and  use  the  other  half  a  few  days  later 
for  baked  beans.  If  the  beans  are  old  drop  in  a  small  lump  or  half- 
teaspoonful  of  soda.  When  this  water  boils,  turn  it  off,  and  supply 
its  place  with  clean  boiling  water.  After  the  beans  have  boiled  in 
this  an  hour,  we  change  the  water  again — sometimes  three  times,  but 
never  after  the  beans  have  begun  to  come  to  pieces.  Set  them  where 
they  will  not  boil  too  hard,  and  cook  them  four  or  five  hours,  when 
they  are  well  softened  and  separated.  Then  we  stir  into  this  soup 
salt,  and  a  cup  of  cream  if  we  have  it  ;  if  not,  a  tablespoonf  ul  or  two 
of  good  butter.  We  take  out  half  of  the  beans  (if  we  have  cooked 
enough  for  two  meals)  before  seasoning  the  day's  portion,  and  some- 
times thin  what  is  left  for  soup  with  hot  water,  and  then  put  in  the 
cream  and  salt,  and  boil  and  stir  it  all  together.  When  we  bake  the 
reserved  portion,  we  pour  it  into  a  large  baking-dish  or  dripping-pan, 
stir  in  a  spoonful  of  salt  and  a  cup  of  cream,  or  creamy  milk,  and  bit 
of  butter,  and  bake  an  hour.  I  cannot  believe  that  any  one  who  tries 
it  would  prefer  "  pork  and  beans  "  to  this.  The  most  common  mis- 
take in  cooking  beans  is  to  cook  them  too  little .  This  is  the  cause  of 
their  flatulent  tendency,  and  such  result  may  be  prevented  by  thor- 
ough cooking.  The  frequent  changing  of  the  water  takes  away  th« 
strong  flavor  which  is  disagreeable  to  many. 


220 


RECIPES. 


Spinach  "with  Eggs. — Wash  the  spinach  leaves  in  several  waters, 
and  keep  in  cold  water  until  time  to  cook  it.  Then  put  in  boiling 
water  enough  to  cover  it,  and  add  a  little  salt.  Cover  the  paa,  and 
boil  the  spinach  briskly  until  the  leaves  are  tender  ;  they  will  sink 
when  done.  Then  press  the  water  out,  cut  the  spinach  fine,  put  it  in 
the  pan,  season  with  butter,  and  serve  hot.  Have  the  eggs  ready 
poached,  lay  them  on  the  spinach,  and  mix  well  with  it.  This  is  a 
delicious  dish,  and  seasonable  in  the  spring  of  the  year. 

Gem  aj^d  Cheese  Sandwiches. — Toast  good  cheese  lightly ;  split. 
wheatmeal  gems  in  halves,  and  spread  between  two  halves,  so  as  to 
come  to  the  edges  all  round,  a  slice  of  the  toasted  cheese.  It  makes  a 
wholesome  and  palatable  lunch  ;  children  are  fond  of  it.  Some  ob- 
ject to  toasted  cheese.  The  principal  objection  to  it  is  that  it  is  gen- 
erally toasted  too  much.  If  toasted  dry,  it  is  as  hard  to  digest  as  a 
very  hard-boiled  egg.  Another  objection  is,  that  it  is  too  often  eaten 
as  a  dessert  with  rich  pie  and  cake,  instead  of  with  the  principal  part 
of  the  meal. 


SIMPLE    BEVERAGES   FROM   FRUITS. 

The  juices  of  various  fruits  may  be  used  with  water  and  sugar  for 
making  most  delicious  and  wholesome  beverages. 

Put  a  gallon  of  water  on  to  boil,  cut  up  one  pound  of  tart  apples, 
each  one  into  quarters,  put  them  in  the  water,  and  boil  them  until 
they  can  be  pulped  ;  pass  the  liquor  through  a  cullender,  boil  it  up 
again  with  half  a  pound  of  sugar,  scum,  and  bottle  for  use,  taking 
care  not  to  cork  the  bottle,  and  keep  it  in  a  cool  place:  the  apples  may 
be  eaten  with  sugar  as  a  sauce. 

Another  way.— Bake  the  apples  first,  then  put  them  in  a  gallon 
pan,  add  the  sugar,  and  pour  boiling  water  over,  let  it  get  cold,  pasa 
the  liquor  as  above,  and  bottle. 

Apple  Toast  and  Water. — A  piece  of  bread,  slowly  toasted  till  it 
gets  quite  black,  and  added  to  the  above,  makes  a  very  nice  and  re- 
freshing drink  for  invalids. 

Apple  Barley  Water. — A  quarter  of  a  pound  of  pearl  barley 
Instead  of  toast  added  to  the  above,  and  boil  for  one  hour,  is  also  a 
very  nice  drink. 

Apple  Rice  Water. — Half  a  pound  of  rice,  boiled  in  the  above 
an  til  in  pulp,  passed  through  a  cullender,  and  drunk  when  cold. 
All  kinds  of  fruits  may  be  done  the  same  way. 
Pigs  and  French  plums  are  excellent ;  also  raisins. 
A  little  ginger,  where  desired,  may  be  used. 

For  Spring  Drink. — Rhubarb,  in  the  same  quantities,  and  done  io 
the  same  way  as  apples,  adding  more  sugar,  is  very  cooling. 


SIMPLE   BEVERAGES   FROM   FRUITS.  221 


LEMONADES. 

Lemonade  prom  Preserved  Lemon  Juice. — Preserve  your  juica 
when  lemons  are  plenty  and  cheap,  by  adding  one  pound  of  refined 
sugar  to  each  pint  of  juice,  stirring  the  mixture  till  dissolved,  when 
it  should  be  bottled.  Put  a  teaspoonf  ul  of  salad-oil  on  the  top  to  keep 
out  the  air,  then  cork  closely.  When  wanted  for  use,  apply  a  bit  of 
cotton  to  the  oil  to  absorb  it.  To  a  goblet  of  water  add  sufficient  of 
this  juice  to  suit  the  taste.  Every  family  should  preserve  lemon  juice 
in  this  way  for  times  of  need.  If  hot  lemonade  is  desired,  use  hot 
instead  of  cold  water. 

Tea  Lemonade. — To  a  cup  of  very  weak  cold  tea  add  the  juice  of 
half  a  lemon.  It  makes  a  pleasant  beverage  for  old  people  who  use 
tea.     It  is  not  desirable  for  the  young. 

Pineapple  Lemonade.  —  Peel  twelve  fresh  lemons  very  thinly, 
squeeze  the  juice  from  them  ;  strain  out  the  seeds  ;  pour  on  the  peel 
a  little  hot  water  ;  let  it  stand  a  little  while  to  infuse,  covering  closely. 
When  cool,  strain  this  water  into  the  lemon-juice,  adding  a  pound  of 
loaf  sugar.  Put  the  whole  into  a  decanter  to  be  kept  cool  for  present 
use.  Use  two  tablespoonfuls  for  a  glass  of  lemonade.  To  add  to  the 
delicacy  of  the  beverage,  add  a  slice  of  pineapple  to  each  glass.  To 
add  to  the  appearance,  add  a  thin  slice  of  lemon.  Cool,  delicious, 
wholesome. 

Orange  and  Lemonade. — Peel  one  large  fresh  lemon  and  six  fresh 
oranges.  Cover  the  peel  with  boiling  water,  and  let  it  infuse  in  a 
closely-covered  dish.  Boil  one  pound  of  sugar  in  a  pint  of  water,  till 
a  syrup  is  formed,  skimming  off  any  impurities,  strain  the  peel-water, 
add  it  to  the  syrup  when  cold,  and  add  the  juice  strained,  stir  well, 
and  add  cold  water  till  it  makes  a  pleasant  drink.  These  methods  of 
making  drinks  are  more  troublesome  than  the  common  way,  but  the 
result  in  the  end  is  more  satisfactory. 

Common  Lemonade. — Cut  three  large  fresh  lemons  in  very  fine 
slices,  taking  out  the  pips.  Add  half  a  pound  of  white  sugar  and 
about  two  quarts  of  water.  Bruise  well  together  and  stir,  and  it  is 
ready  for  use. 

Hot  Lemonade. — Hot  lemonade  is  often  desirable  in  winter,  when 
the  body  has  been  exposed  to  cold  and  is  chilly.  It  is  made  the  same 
as  cold  lemonade,  except  by  using  hot  instead  of  cold  water. 

English  Lemonade. — Pare  a  number  of  lemons,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  drink  you  wish  to  make.  Pour  boiling  water  on  one 
quarter  of  the  peel,  and  let  it  infuse.  Boil  your  sugar  to  the  con- 
sistency of  a  rich  syrup,  adding  the  white  of  an  egg  whipt  in.  When 
it  boils  pour  in  a  little  cold  water  to  stop  it,  then  let  it  boil  again, 
when  the  pan  should  be  taken  off  to  cool  and  settle,  skimming  off  any 
scum  that  comes  to  the  top.  When  settled,  pour  off  the  syrup  into 
the  peel  water,  now  add  the  juice  and  as  much  water  as  is  necessary 
to  make  a  rich  drink.     Strain  through  a  fine  jelly  bag. 


222  SIMPLE    BEVERAGES    FROM    FRUITS. 

Lemon  Whey. — Boil  as  mucli  milk  as  you  require,  squeeze  a  lemon, 
and  add  as  much  of  the  juice  to  the  milk  as  will  make  it  clear.  Mix 
with  hot  water,  and  sweeten  to  taste. 

Lemon  Water. — Cut  a  fresh  lemon  into  very  thin  slices,  put  them 
in  a  pitcher,  and  pour  on  one  pint  of  boiling  water.  Let  it  stand  till 
cold,  sweeten  to  taste,  and  use. 

Milk  Lemonade  to  keep  a  day  or  two. — Pare  twenty-four  large 
fresh  lemons  as  thin  as  possible ;  put  eight  of  the  rinds  into  three 
quarts  of  hot  but  not  boiling  water,  and  let  it  stand  three  hours.  Rub 
fine  sugar  on  the  rind  of  the  others,  to  absorb  the  essence.  Put  it  in  a 
china  bowl,  and  squeeze  the  j  nice  from  the  lemons  over  it,  after  which 
add  a  pound  and  a  half  of  fine  sugar.  Now  put  the  water  to  the 
above,  and  add  three  quarts  of  boiling  milk.  Mix  and  pour  through 
a  jelly  bag.    Use  the  day  after  made. 

SIMPLE  DRINKS  FROM  VARIOUS  SUBSTANCES. 

American  Temperance  Beverage. —Twelve  lemons,  one  quart 
of  ripe  raspberries,  one  ripe  pineapple,  two  pounds  best  refined  sugar, 
three  quarts  of  pure  soft  cold,  but  not  iced,  water.  Peel  the  lemons 
very  thin,  squeeze  the  juice  of  all  over  the  peel,  let  it  stand  a  few 
hours,  add  the  two  pounds  of  refined  sugar,  mash  the  raspberries  with 
half  a  pound  of  same  sugar,  cut  the  pineapple,  after  paring  it,  in 
very  thin  slices,  and  cover  them  with  sugar.  Strain  the  lemon-juice, 
crush  the  raspberries,  press  the  pineapple,  put  the  lemon-juice  in  a 
bowl,  add  the  three  quarts  of  water,  add  the  crushed  berries  and  pine- 
apple, stir  all  together  till  the  sugar  is  dissolved  and  it  is  ready  to 
serve.     This  makes  a  delicious  beverage. 

Cranberry  Drink. — Mash  a  tea-cupful  of  clean  fresh  cranberries 
in  a  cup  of  cold  water.  Boil  a  large  spoonful  of  oatmeal  and  a  slice 
of  a  lemon  in  two  quarts  of  water  ;  add  the  cranberries  and  as  much 
sugar  as  will  sweeten  to  the  taste.     Boil  for  half  an  hour  and  strain. 

Egg  Tea. — It  is  a  common  but  injurious  practice  for  women  to  take 
a  cup  of  hot  tea  on  an  empty  stomach  when  tired  and  exhausted.  An 
egg  broken  into  a  weak  cup  of  tea,  well  beaten  and  mixed  with  a 
glass  of  cold  sweet  milk,  is  much  less  injurious,  and  really  nourish- 
ing. 

Tamarind  Water. — Boil  an  ounce  of  tamarinds,  three  ounces  of 
currants,  and  two  ounces  of  stoned  raisins  in  three  quarts  of  water, 
until  nearly  a  third  has  evaporated. 

Pure  tamarind  water  is  much  used  in  fevers,  and  is  considered  a 
cool  and  refreshing  beverage.  It  is  made  by  dissolving  the  pulp  in 
boiling  water,  straining  and  cooling,  or  it  may  be  prepared  with 
barley  water  and  treated  in  the  same  way. 

Strawberry  Drink. —Boil  a  pound  of  sugar  in  a  pint  of  water  till 
it  makes  a  syrup.  Add  a  pint  of  strawberry  juice,  and  boil  gently  foi 
an  hour.  Cool,  and  bottle  in  well  corked  bottles  for  use.  Add  watel 
to  >aste.     It  ia  a  delicious  spring  drink. 


SIMPLE   BEVERAGES   FROM   FRUITS.  223 

A.  very  delicious  drink  may  be  made  from  canned  strawberries, 
water,  and  sugar,  for  eaxly  spring  use.  This  fruit  is  rarely  canned, 
but  is  the  most  wholesome  of  any  for  early  spring  use  before  other 
new  fruit  can  be  had.  The  acid  acts  favorably  in  clearing  out  the 
system,  acting  on  liver  and  bowels. 

Blackberry  Drink. — A  delicious  drink  is  made  by  stewing  a  pound 
of  ripe  blackberries  in  a  quart  of  water,  adding  sufficient  sugar  to 
make  the  drink  palatable,  and  pourinp:  off  the  fluid.  The  berries 
may  be  eaten  separately.  An  equally  pleasant  drink  may  be  made  by 
stewing  dried  blackberries,  adding  sugar  to  make  it  sufficiently  sweet. 
The  amount  of  water  and  sugar  may  be  decided  by  the  taste. 

Raspberry  Drink. — Take  fine  red,  ripe  raspberries,  crush  them  in 
a  sieve,  and  press  out  the  juice,  to  each  pint  of  which  add  a  pint  of 
syrup  made  by  boiling  a  pound  of  sugar  in  a  pint  of  water,  the  scum 
being  removed.  When  the  syrup  and  juice  are  mixed,  boil  slowly  for 
an  hour,  cool,  bottle,  cork,  and  seal.  When  wanted,  dilute  with  water 
to  the  right  consistency.  A  delicious  drink  is  quickly  and  cheaply 
made  by  stewing  dried  raspberries  in  water,  adding  sugar  to  make  the 
drink  palatable.  It  can  be  made  of  fresh  berries  by  crushing  them  in 
a  bowl  and  adding  water  and  sugar  to  taste.  Children  are  generally 
fond  of  drinks  made  in  this  way,  and  the  variety  is  almost  endless. 

Cherry  Drink. — Mash  twelve  or  fifteen  large  sour  cherries,  stones 
and  all,  in  a  goblet,  pour  on  water  till  the  glass  is  two-thirds  full ; 
add  loaf-sugar  sufficient  to  suit  the  taste.  This  is  a  cooling  summer- 
beverage,  and  an  excellent  diuretic.  Persons  suffering  with  gravel  in 
the  bladder  are  often  greatly  relieved  by  this  beverage,  only  it  should 
be  made  very  strong  of  cherry- juice  for  them. 

PLU>f  Water. — Pour  over  half  a  pound  of  plums  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  ginger  (if  approved),  two  quarts  of  water  ;  boil  till  pulped, 
strain,  boil  again,  skim  well,  and  bottle  for  use.     Keep  cool. 

Gooseberry  Water.— Green  gooseberries,  served  in  the  same 
way,  make  a  good  drink.  The  proportions  are  :  gooseberries  one 
pound ;  water,  one  gallon ;  ginger,  one-half  ounce  ;  sugar,  three- 
fourths  of  a  pound. 

Mixed  Currantade. — Mash  one  pound  of  ripe  red  currants  with 
half  a  pound  of  ripe  red  raspberries  ;  add  a  half  pound  of  sugar  and  a 
gallon  of  cold  water.  Let  it  settle,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  If  it  is 
desirable  to  bottle  it,  strain.  Dried  currants  and  dried  raspberries 
may  be  used,  and  so  may  currant  jelly,  if  more  convenient. 

Pure  Currantade.— Press  the  juice  from  ripe  currants,  strain, 
add  to  each  pint  a  pound  of  best  white  sugar  ;  add  cold  water  to  taste. 
It  makes  a  delicious  beverage.  Dried  currants  may  be  used,  and  thus 
the  drink  made  at  any  season  of  the  year. 

A  Cool  Ginger  Drink.— Ginger  is  used  almost  universally  as  an 
addition  to  many  drinks.  There  are  those  who  would  not  allow  it  in 
the  stomach,  still,  as  the  root  contains  no  essential  oil,  and  is  slightly 
warming  and  carminative,  it  is  not  particularly  objectionable.    Gen 


224  SIMPLE   BEVERAGES    FROM    FEUITS. 

erally  it  agrees  well  with  most  stomachs.    The  following  receipt  foi 
a  mild  ginger  beer  will  not  be  amiss. 

To  six  gallons  of  pure  soft  water  put  eight  pounds  of  loaf-sugar, 
the  whites  of  three  eggs,  well  beaten,  and  three  ounces  best  ginger. 
Powder  the  ginger  finely,  and  mix  with  a  little  water  before  adding  it 
to  the  mass.  Boil  gently  for  three-fourths  of  an  hour,  removing  mean- 
time the  scum  that  rises  to  the  surface.  Let  it  cool,  add  the  juice  of 
three  large  lemons  and  a  table-spoonful  of  yeast.  Now  put  it  in  a 
cask  and  bung  it  very  tightly,  and  let  it  stand  for  about  ten  days, 
when  it  will  be  fit  to  use. 

Rhubarb  Tea. — Boil  two  pounds  of  rhubarb  stalks  well  sliced,  for 
an  hour  in  a  quart  of  water,  strain  into  a  pitcher,  add  the  juice  of  one 
lemon,  and  sugar  to  taste  after  it  Is  cold.  This  makes  a  refreshing 
drink  in  the  spring  of  the  year. 

Apple  Tea. — Peel,  core,  and  quarter  two  pounds  of  apples,  boil  for 
half  an  hour  in  a  quart  of  water,  strain  the  liquor  into  a  pitcher,  add 
the  juice  of  one  leniou  and  loaf-sugar  to  taste. 

Dried  Apple  Barley  Water. — Boil  one  pound  of  clean  dried 
apples  in  one  gallon  of  water  for  an  hour.  Boil  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  pearl  barley  one  hour.  Strain  off  the  juice  of  the  apples,  add  the 
barley  water,  put  it  into  uncorked  bottles,  and  keep  for  use  in  a  cool 
place. 

Apple  Water. — Cut  some  very  tart  apples  fine,  pour  over  them 
boiling  water,  and  let  them  simmer  gently  for  half  an  hour.  Strain 
off  the  liquor  and  sweeten  to  taste. 

Fio  Water. — Boil  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  best  preserved  figs  with 
a  half  ounce  of  ginger  in  two  quarts  of  water.  When  reduced  to  a 
pulp,  strain  off  and  bottle  for  use. 

Barley  Water.— Boil  half  a  tea-cupful  of  the  very  best  pearl 
barley  in  a  quart  of  water  till  it  is  smooth,  then  strain  it  off  into  a 
mug,  add  the  juice  of  a  large  lemon  and  loaf-sugar  to  the  taste.  The 
barley  water  should  be  strained  through  muslin  before  adding  the 
lemon  juice. 

Toast  and  Water. — Fill  a  quart-pitcher  with  boiling  water.  Drop 
into  it  a  slice  of  bread  toasted  very  brown.  Let  it  stand  till  cold. 
Remember,  drop  the  bread  in  instead  of  pouring  the  water  over  it, 
otherwise  it  will  be  cloudy  instead  of  clear  and  beautiful. 

Fruit  Juices. — The  juice  of  the  apple  and  pear,  says  Mr.  Knight, 
may  be  used  to  great  advantage  in  preparing  a  beverage.  He  has  fre- 
quently, he  says,  reduced  it  by  boiling  to  the  consistence  of  a  weak 
jelly,  in  which  state  it  has  remained  several  years  without  the  slightest 
apparent  change,  though  intentionally  exposed  to  variation  of  temper- 
ature. A  large  quantity  of  the  inspissated  juice  would  take  up  but 
little  space,  and  the  addition  of  a  few  spoonfuls  to  a  quart  of  water 
would  at  any  time  form  a  delicious,  wholesome,  refreshing  drink,  free 
from  all  intoxicating  properties.  Its  cheapness  would  be  greatly  in 
Its  favor.  On  sea  voyages  it  would  be  a  great  luxury.  We  suggest 
experiments  with  it  in  the  field  of  domestic  economy 


ICES.  225 

Summer  Beverages. — Take  the  genuine  jelly  of  any  fruit  you  like, 
dissolve  it  in  water,  sweeten  to  taste,  and  keep  in  a  cool  place ;  or  il 
you  have  the  fresh  fruit,  currants,  raspberries,  strawberries,  cherries, 
grapes,  bruise  them  in  water,  strain  and  sweeten.  Keep  in  a  cool 
place,  and  use  as  needed.  Such  drinks  on  ice  will  keep  for  several 
days. 

Capillaire. — Take  fourteen  pounds  of  sugar,  break  into  it  six  eggs 
with  the  shells.  Stir  into  it  gradually  three  quarts  of  water.  Set 
it  over  the  fire  and  boil  it,  t  iking  off  the  scum  until  only  a  light  froth 
rises.  Add  one  gill  of  onuige-tiower  water,  and  two  or  three  drops 
of  vanilla  ;  strain  through  a  jelly-bag,  and  when  cold  bottle  it,  cork- 
ing tightly.  A  wine  glaps  in  a  tumbler  of  water  is  very  refreshing. 
You  may  add  to  it  slices  of  lemon,  pineapple,  crushed  currants,  or 
strawberries,  as  suits  the  taste  and  season. 

Eau  Sucre. — Water,  with  sufficient  sugar  to  make  it  sweet,  is  a 
common  beverage  in  France,  and  there  considered  very  wholesome 
and  refreshing.  Ladies  generally  take  it  before  bedtime.  It  may  be 
useful  in  some  cases,  but  should  not  be  used  too  freely. 

Grape  Drink.— This  is  one  of  the  most  delicious  and  refreshing 
irinks  ever  devised  by  thirsty  mortals.  It  is  made  of  nearly  ripe 
(grapes  pounded,  loaf-sugar,  and  water.  It  is  strained  until  it  becomes 
3f  the  palest  straw-colored  amber,  and  then  frozen.  Delicious  drinks 
nay  be  made  from  grapes  by  stewing  with  sugar  and  water.  We 
leave  the  reader  to  use  his  or  her  own  ingenuity  in  devising  them, 
riie  fermented  juice  of  the  grape  bears  no  comparison  with  these 
^ure,  simple,  delicious  beverages. 


ICES. 

Cream  Sherbet, — Put  the  yolk  of  six  eggs  and  a  dessert-spoonful 
>f  orange-flower  water  into  two  quarts  of  cream.  Boil  it  up  once  in  a 
X)vered  stew-pan,  then  strain  it.  Add  three-fourths  of  a  pound  of 
ine  loaf-sugar,  and  stir  till  dissolved.  When  cold  set  it  in  ice,  or 
Ireeze  same  as  ice  cream. 

Lemon  Sherbet. — Dissolve  a  pound  and  a  half  of  loaf-sugar  in  a 
quart  of  water,  take  nine  large  lemons,  wipe  them  clean,  cut  each  in 
halves,  squeeze  them  so  as  to  get  out  both  j  nice  and  some  of  the  es- 
sence of  the  peel,  stir  into  it  the  sugared  water,  strain  and  freeze 
same  as  ice  cream. 

Strawberry  Sherbet. — Take  one  pound  of  best  ripe  strawberries, 
crush  tliem  to  a  smooth  mass,  then  add  three  pints  of  water,  the  juice 
M  one  lemon,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  orange-flower  water.  Let  this 
stand  three  or  four  hours.  Then  put  into  another  basin  a  pound  of 
best  refined  sugar,  stretch  over  it  a  cloth  or  napkin,  and  strain  on  the 
Sugar  the  berries,  squeezing  out  the  juice  as  much  as  possible.  Stii 
until  the  sugar  is  dissolved,  then  strain  again,  and  set  in  ice  an  houi 
before  serving,  in  small  tumblers. 


226  MILK. 


MILK. 


Milk  is  a  liquid  food  in  a  mucli  higher  sense  than  water.  A  poun<i 
of  new  30w's  lullk  contains : 

1.  Six  drachms  or  three-fourths  of  an  ounce  of  sugar. 

2.  Four  drachms  or  half  an  ounce  of  butter. 

3.  Six  drachms  or  three-quarters  of  an  ounce  of  cheese 

4.  Two  drachms  or  one  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  mineral  salts. 

5.  Thirteen  and  three-quarter  ounces  of  water. 

Milk  makes  a  most  perfect  food  and  drink  for  the  infant.  It  is  also  a 
very  important  food  for  other  than  children,  It  is  of  great  service  to 
invalids  and  the  convalescent.  It  is  true  there  are  some  constitutions 
with  which  it  does  not  agree.  Where  this  is  the  case,  the  objection 
may  generally  be  obviated  by  skimming  off  the  cream  before  using  it. 
Even  skim  milk  is  very  nutritious ;  it  contains  nearly  all  the  valuable 
nourishment  of  new  milk  except  the  butter. 

A  Milk  Diet. — Within  a  few  years  a  milk  diet  has  become  a  very 
popular  prescription  among  physicians,  they  ordering  patients  to  sub- 
sist on  it  for  days  or  weeks  at  a  time.  In  cases  where  the  patient 
needs  a  good  sustaining  food  without  the  risk  of  inflammatory  action  or 
excitement  succeeding  its  use,  a  milk  diet  is  perhaps  the  best  regimen 
that  can  be  chosen.  This  is  especially  true  in  all  diseases  affecting 
the  respiratory  organs,  inflammations  of  the  stomach,  bowels,  kidneys, 
and  bladder.  It  is  of  benefit  in  cases  of  hemorrhage,  and  gout,  and 
diarrhoea.  In  fevers  it  is  much  used.  In  convalescence  from  small- 
pox, scarlet  fever,  measles,  typhoid  fever,  milk  is  often  very  service- 
able. I  have  found  gems  and  milk  very  excellent  after  scarlet  fever. 
Indeed,  good  home-made  brown  bread  and  milk  is  almost  a  perfect 
food,  especially  for  feeble  children  suffering  with  scrofulous  habit  of 
body,  mesenteric  diseases,  spinal  affections,  fits,  taint  of  the  blood.  I 
even  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  all  children  would  be  the  better  for  tak- 
ing one  meal  of  brown  bread  and  milk  daily,  and  feeble  ones  should 
use  it  three  times  a  day. 

In  ulceration  of  the  stomach  or  bowels,  milk  is  very  serviceable. 
The  case  reported  in  the  Herald  of  Health  for  August,  1873,  of  Mrs. 
Sara  B.  Ciase,  is  in  point.  After  nearly  two  years'  suffering  of  untold 
agony  from  ulceration  of  the  stomach,  she  was  cured  by  a  milk  diet. 
She  began  by  taking  a  teaspoonful  every  hour,  and  adhering  to  it 
alone  for  nearly  a  year,  except  the  amount  was  increased  as  the 
strength  returned.  The  greatest  fear  is  in  taking  more  than  the 
stomach  in  its  weakened  condition  can  manage.  I  commend  a  study 
of  this  case  to  all  suffering  from  ulceration  or  cancer  of  the  stomach. 

In  diabetes  an  exclusive  milk  diet  has  been  found  to  work  wonders. 
It  must  be  persevered  in  methodically  and  exclusively  until  conva- 
lescence is  established.  It  is  well  known  that  in  this  ugly  disease  the 
great  danger  is  that  the  starch  of  the  food  is  converted  into  sugar, 
and  as  such  passes  out  of  the  system  without  yielding  any  of  its  force 
to  the  body.  Dr.  Arthur  Scott  Duncan,  of  England,  says,  "  the  ra- 
pidity with  wliich  milk  acts  is  truly  surprising.     Twenty- four  houn 


MILK.  227 

bfting  sufficient  to  produce  a  marked  change,  the  quantity  and  density 
of  the  urine  suddenly  falling,  thirst  and  appetite  disappearing,  the 
skin  becoming  moist  and  perspiring,  sleep  improving."  Dr.  Karell 
reports  two  hundred  cases  treated  by  milk  alon«,  among  which  were 
many  remarkable  cures. 

For  the  aged,  mil}c,  or  bread  and  milk,  offers  advantages  worthy  of 
their  serious  attention.  The  great  Professor  Black  adopted  it  for 
many  years  before  his  death,  because  he  thought  it  ought  to  be  the 
natural  food  of  an  aged  man  in  his  second  childhood.  He  died  with  a 
bowl  of  milk  in  his  liand,  so  quietly  that  not  a  drop  was  spilled. 

Dr.  George  W.  Balfour  has  found  an  exclusive  milk  diet  to  be  very 
beneficial  in  asthma  after  it  had  resisted  other  means  of  cure  for 
years. 

Boiled  milk  is  digested  in  two  hours ;  raw  milk  in  two  hours  and  a 
quarter. 

Choice  of  Milk. — Cow's  milk  differs  greatly  in  quality,  some  being 
rich  and  other  thin  and  watery.  In  choosing  a  family  cow  it  is  well 
to  bear  this  in  mind,  and  to  select  only  those  that  are  healthy  and 
give  the  very  best  milk.  They  should  also  be  fed  on  the  best  of  food, 
and  allowed  pure  soft  water  to  drink.  The  practice  of  feeding  cows 
on  garbage,  swill  slops,  distillery  feed,  and  of  keeping  them  confined 
in  close,  filthy,  unventilated  stables,  is  one  which  seriously  deterio- 
rates the  milk,  and  should  ever  be  avoided. 

Those  who  live  in  cities  cannot  of  course  keep  cows,  and  so  they 
must  depend  on  the  market  for  their  supply  of  milk.  In  large  cities 
such  cannot  do  better  than  to  use  condensed  milk,  if  they  can  get  it. 
It  has  been  used  in  our  institution  for  many  years  with  very  satis- 
factory results.  In  preparing  it  the  animal  odor  is  evaporated,  and  it 
can  be  made  as  rich  as  is  desired.  It  may  be  diluted  for  babes  if 
necessary.  Of  course  we  do  not  speak  of  the  condensed  milk  put  up 
in  cans,  but  that  prepared  for  supplying  the  market  for  immediate 
use. 

If  condensed  milk  cannot  be  obtained,  and  you  cannot  keep  your 
own  cow,  then  insist  on  having  the  best  article,  and  refuse  to  use  that 
from  distillery-fed  cows,  or  that  diluted  with  water.  A  little  atten- 
tion to  this  subject  will  enable  any  one  to  secure  a  good  article.  It  is 
the  laxity  of  purchasers  of  food  in  not  demanding  the  best  that  makes  it 
Bo  easy  for  the  dealer  to  palm  off  adulterated  and  inferior  articles  upon 
thoughtless  people.  If  the  poor  would  do  this,  it  would  improve  their 
own  and  their  children's  health  wonderfully.  The  milk  supply  of  a 
city  has  a  great  deal  of  influence  for  good  or  evil  on  the  health  of  the 
children.  In  England,  this  question  is  getting  to  be  a  very  important 
one.  The  Food  Journal  says  that  "  perhaps  the  most  serious  and 
destructive  change  in  the  nutrition  of  the  poor  is  their  almost  total 
privation  of  milk.  Infantile  sickness  and  mortality  depend  largely  on 
tbis  want."  There  the  occupation  of  mothers  in  factories  and  work. 
«hops  deprives  many  thousands  of  infants  of  their  natural  food- 
breast  milk. 

Preparing  Cow's  Milk  for  Babes. — In  this  connection  I  wish  ie 
give  explicit  directions  for  preparing  artificial  human  milk  for  babes 


228  MILK. 

It  is  well  known  that  cow's  milk  is  far  riclier  than  human  milk.  It 
contains  more  curd,  more  cream,  more  mineral  matter,  and  less  water. 
Compare  the  following  table  with  the  one  at  the  beginning  of  thia 
paper.     One  pound  of  human  milk  contains  : 

Sugar 4  drachms  and  40  grains. 

Butter 3      "  **      30      ** 

Curd 3      "  '*      30      " 

Mineral  salts 41       " 

Water 14  ounces  and  41       " 

It  may  not  be  well  known  why  cow's  milk  so  often  disagrees  with 
babes.  A  principal  reason  is  that  in  the  stomach  the  curd  forms  in 
harder  lumps  and  is  not  easily  acted  on  by  the  gastric  juice,  whereas 
human  milk  forms  a  flocculent  soft  curd  which  readily  absorbs  the 
gastric  juice,  and  is  acted  on  by  it  with  great  ease. 

The  question  is  how  to  modify  cow's  milk  to  make  it  suitable  for  a 
new-born  infant ;  it  having  been  found  to  disagree  in  its  pure  state. 

There  is  in  the  first  place  too  much  casein,  or  cheese,  in  cow's  milk, 
and  the  child  cannot  digest  it ;  to  reduce  it  to  the  true  proportion, 
nearly  twice  as  much  water  as  milk  is  necessary  ;  to  be  exact,  it  must 
be  eighteen  parts  of  water  to  ten  parts  of  milk ;  but  this  would  reduce 
the  quantity  of  butter  also,  without  which  the  child  would  not  thrive. 
The  milk  to  be  diluted  must  therefore  contain  more  butter  than  ordi- 
nary milk,  which  must  be  obtained  by  setting  aside,  say,  three  quarts 
of  milk,  and  at  the  end  of  four  or  five  hours  remove  the  upper  quart ; 
the  upper  third  of  any  quantity  of  milk  containing  fifty  per  cent,  more 
butter  than  the  ordinary  milk  of  the  cow.  The  same  result  can  be 
obtained  by  taking  the  "  strippings,"  or  latter  part  of  the  cow's  milk- 
ing. This  milk,  when  diluted  with  one  and  a  half  parts  water,  and 
properly  sweetened,  resembles  ordinary  human  milk. 

Various  Dilutions  for  various  Ages. — Mother's  milk  for  new- 
born babes  is  so  peculiar  as  to  have  got  a  special  name,  colostrum.  It 
gradually  loses  these  peculiarities.  For  colostrum,  or  milk  prepared 
for  the  first  two  weeks  of  a  child's  life,  must  contain  more  butter — the 
upper  eighth,  instead  of  the  upper  third,  must  be  used.  From  two 
quarts  of  milk,  which  has  stood  four  or  five  hours,  skim  off  carefully 
half  a  pint ;  or  the  last  tenth  of  milk  just  stripped  from  a  cow.  For 
example,  if  a  cow  gives  five  quarts,  the  last  pint  may  be  used.  This 
milk  must  be  largely  diluted  with  water,  according  to  the  following 
schedule. 

SCHEDULE. 

Whole 
AoE.  Milk.  Water.  Quantity. 

Gills.  Gills.  Gills. 

3  to  10    days li  3i 4^ 

10  to  20    days U 4i  6 

20  to  30    days 2^  6     8* 

1  to  li    months 3  Gj .9| 

1  to  2      months 3^  7     10| 

2  to  2^     months 4  ^ Hi 


MILK« 


229 


2i  to  3 

3 

to  3i 

3^  to  4 

4 

to  4^ 

4i 

to  5 

5 

to  6 

6 

to  7 

7 

to  8 

8 

to  9 

9 

to  10 

10 

to  11 

11 

to  12 

Wholb 
AoB.  Milk.  Watek.  Quantitt 

Qills,  Gills.  GiUs 

months ^ 7^  12 

months 5     do 12^ 

months 5     do 13 

months 6     do 13^ 

months Q^ do 14 

months 7     7     14 

months 7     7     14 

months 8     6     14 

months 8i 6     14^ 

mouths 8^  ., 6     14^ 

months 8i 6^   14| 

months 9     5^   14| 

Eight  large  spoonfuls  are  about  a  ^11. 

Regulations  op  the  Quality  of  the  Milk. — If  the  milk  be  too 
strong,  indigestion  will  follow,  and  the  child  will  lose  instead  of  gain- 
ing strength.  When  particles  of  casein,  or  curd,  pass  through  his 
bowels  unaltered,  a  milder  quality  or  lower  grade  should  be  substitu- 
ted. A  feeble  child  of  six  months  may  require  the  food  suited  to  a 
vigorous  child  of  six  months.  For  constipation,  increase  the  richness 
of  the  milk,  put  in  more  cream.  In  cold  weather,  or  if  milk  is  kept 
on  ice,  it  may  stand  an  hour  or  two  longer  before  the  upper  third  is 
removed  ;  or  the  upper  fourth  maybe  taken;  or  set  five  quarts  instead 
of  three  to  get  one  quart. 

The  water  used  in  diluting  milk  should  not  be  hard  ;  nor  should  it 
be  boiled.  Add  it  to  the  milk,  and  heat  it  by  putting  the  bottle  in 
Warm  water. 

SwEETENLNQ. — Use  loaf  sugar  enough  to  make  it  as  sweet  as  un- 
tliluted  new  milk,  a  teaspoonful  to  a  quart.  If  too  sweet,  it  will  cloy 
the  appetite,  and  not  enough  food  will  be  taken. 

Temperature. — The  milk  should  be  heated  to  one  hundred  de- 
grees Falirenheit ;  test  it  once,  and  try  it  on  the  cheek  ;  which  should 
regulate  it  subsequently. 

Quantity. — For  the  first  ten  days,  about  one  to  one  and  a  half 
pints  a  day  should  be  given  ;  before  the  end  of  the  first  month  the 
child  will  take  more  than  a  quart  daily  ;  at  the  age  of  three  months 
he  may  require  two  quarts  daily.  After  that  time  the  quality  will 
change  more  than  the  quantity.  The  child  will  need  half  a  pint  at 
a  time  every  three  or  four  hours,  which  should  be  sucked  in  about 
ten  minutes,  and  he  will  pass  six  or  eight  hours  at  night  without 
feeding. 

The  bottles  should  be  annealed  by  being  put  into  cold  water  and 
boiled  three  or  four  hours,  and  the  most  scrupulous  care  observed  in 
cleaning  them. 

We  have  made  out  a  scale  of  dilutions  for  one  year,  but  the  mothei 
may,  after  the  child  is  six  months  old,  find  it  necessary  to  use  more 


230  MILK. 

milk  and  less  water,  in  which  case  she  will  dilute  less.  If  the  child 
manifests  symptoms  of  malnutrition  on  this  food,  it  is  evident  that  its 
food  should  be  rendered  more  nourishing.  We  are  indebted  to  Dr. 
Corson  for  the  demonstration  of  the  practical  utility  of  beginning  our 
trials  with  pure  cow's  milk,  since  the  principal  inconvenience  which  is 
found  to  occur  is  the  regurgitation  of  a  part  of  it ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  infant  runs  the  risk  of  starvation,  or  at  least  of  numerous 
diseases,  before  any  notice  is  taken  of  the  deficiently  nutritious 
quality  of  milk  and  water.  If  he  succeeds  in  his  object  "  of  directing 
attention  to  the  fact  that  many  thousands  of  children  annually  die 
prematurely  from  want  of  food,"  he  will  have  accomplished  a  great 
work  ;  but  if  he  proposes  to  give  all  children  pure  cow's  milk,  with- 
out reference  to  its  agreement  or  disagreement  with  their  stomachs, 
he  will  have  fallen  into  the  same  error  with  those  who  confide  ex- 
clusively in  milk  and  water. 

Oatmeal  Milk. — I  cannot  help  in  this  connection  printing  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  one  of  my  correspondents,  regarding  oatmeal  milk 
for  young  children  ;  which  I  am  sure  will  help  some  mother  to  rear 
to  health  a  child  when  she  might  otherwise  fail.  I  may  add,  however, 
that  it  should  not  be  used  before  the  babe  is  three  or  four  months 
old,  and  then  a  gradual  substitute  for  the  breast.     She  says : 

"  When  my  baby  was  five  months  old,  for  the  sake  of  my  own 
health,  I  weaned  him  from  the  breast.  I  gave  him  cream  and  water, 
with  a  little  sugar.  In  two  weeks'  time  his  bowels  were  so  consti- 
pated that  I  fully  realized  that  some  change  must  be  made  in  the 
food.  I,  therefore,  made  oatmeal  gruel  by  boiling  oatmeal  in  about 
twice  the  usual  quantity  of  water  for  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two 
hours.  When  properly  cooked,  I  poured  it  through  a  fine  sieve.  The 
part  which  passed  through  was,  when  cold,  of  the  consistency  of  jelly. 
Then,  in  a  quart  cup,  I  mixed  one  half  pint  of  thin  cream  and  oatmeal 
gruel — about  one  gill  of  each — added  one  teaspoonf  ul  of  white  sugar, 
and  filled  the  measure  nearly  full  of  boiling  water.  This  food  he 
relished,  and  in  every  way  it  agreed  with  him  ;  and  if  there  ever  was 
a  child  that  grew  any  faster  than  mine  did  when  fed  with  oatmeal  and 
milk,  I  think  it  would  be  a  wonder.  People  would  say  :  '  How  your 
baby  grows,'  and  in  the  same  breath  (when  I  told  what  his  food  was), 
would  say :  '  Why,  you'll  starve  him  I '  But  by  putting  in  less  water 
I  found  it  was  too  hearty,  causing  him  to  vomit ;  and  once  in  possession 
of  the  key  to  my  child's  health  nothing  turned  me  aside. 

**  My  child  is  now  a  year  and  a  half  old,  his  food  is  three  parts  milk 
and  one  part  gruel.  He  is  very  large,  strong  and  active,  has  twelve 
teeth,  weighs  thirty  pounds,  and  in  all  the  time  has  not  lost  an  ounc<j 
of  flesh,  even  at  the  most  trying  time — warm  weather. 

"  That  I  am  enthusiastic  in  regard  to  oatmeal  milk  should  not  seem 
strange,  and  I  wish  that,  of  the  many  mothers  throughout  the  land, 
those  who  find  it  necessary  to  provide  other  than  the  natural  food  foi 
their  children  would  try  my  recipe,  They  would  find  doctors'  visits 
few  and  far  between." 

Recipe  for  Gruel,' — One  teacup  oatmeal,  two  quarts  of  liot  water 
Boil  two  and  a  half  hours.     Strain  through  a  fine  sieve. 


MILK.  231 

1  prefer  this  way  to  the  phin  of  soaking  the  oatmeal  in  cold  water, 
•rhich  I  have  tried,  but  find  that  the  taste  is  not  so  pleasant. 

Sktmbted  Milk. — Skimmed  milk,  according  to  analysis,  la  not 
greatly  inferior  to  new  milk,  except  in  the  amount  of  butter  it  con- 
tains ;  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  : 

100  parts  new  milk — water,  86  ;  nitrogenous,  5.5  ;  sugar,  3.8  ;  fat 
3.6  ;  salts,  0.66.     100  parts  skimmed  milk — water,  88  ;   nitrogenous, 
4.0  ;  sugar,  3.8  ;  fat,  1.8  ;  salts,  0.8. 

The  effect  on  Dr.  Smith  of  eating  one  pint  of  new  milk  was  to 
increase  the  exhalation  of  carbonic  acid  2.26  grains  per  minute.  It 
also  gave  an  increase  of  air  inhaled  of  96  cubic  inches  in  one  min- 
ute ;  skimmed  milk,  on  the  other  hand,  gave  an  increase  to  carbonic 
acid  exhaled  of  84  grains  per  minute  and  21  cubic  inches  in  the  in- 
spired air.  Much  is  said  in  these  days  regarding  the  food  qualities 
of  alcoholic  drinks,  but  Dr.  Edward  Smith,  in  his  experiments  on  the 
best  brandy  as  food,  found  that  instead  of  an  increase  of  vital  ac- 
tion by  the  exhalation  of  more  carbonic  acid  and  tlie  inhalation  of 
more  air,  that  there  was  a  diminution  of  both.  In  other  words,  vital 
action  was  diminished  instead  of  increased,  and  this  was  the  result 
with  nearly  all  the  alcoholic  drinks  tested.  And  in  those  cases  where 
vital  action  seemed  increased,  it  was  in  a  very  slight  degree,  not 
one-fifth  so  much  as  shown  above  in  the  use  of  milk.  Ten  grains 
of  milk  consumed  in  the  body  produces  heat  sufficient  to  raise  1.7  lb. 
of  water  1°  F.,  and  this  is  equal  to  raising  1.246  lb.  one  foot  high. 
Can  alcohol  consumed  in  the  body  do  this? 

Cautions  Reqardixq  the  Use  op  Milk. — While  good  milk  is 
an  excellent  article  of  food  for  the  young,  the  aged,  and  many  in- 
valids, it  may  be  the  means  of  spreading  dangerous  diseases.  That 
which  is  sent  to  cities  may  have  received  infection  frmn  the  air  of  the 
dairy-house,  and  in  this  way  scarlet  and  typhoid  fevers  sometimes 
be  propagated.  But  a  greater  source  of  danger  is  in  the  water  that 
the  dairyman  mixes  with  it.  If  the  water  is  pure,  of  course  the  in- 
jury lies  only  in  the  less  amount  of  nourishment  it  contains  ;  but  if 
water  is  used  from  wells  or  springs  not  pure,  then  the  danger  is  very 
great.  In  England  numerous  instances  have  come  to  light  where  a 
large  number  of  families  supplied  by  the  same  milkman  have  had 
typhoid  fever,  and  on  careful  investigation  it  was  found  that  the 
dairyman  had  in  these  cases  watered  his  milk  from  a  well-pump  in  the 
yard,  into  which  there  was  a  slight  leakage  from  a  drain.  Through 
this  leak  had  oozed  the  poisonous  germs  that  poisoned  the  milk,  and 
carried  that  most  dangerous  malady  into  forty-seven  families,  destroying 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  persons.  Thanks  to  the  spirit  of  investiga- 
tion which  sought  and  found  the  source  of  the  contagion.  Still  an- 
other source  of  danger  in  the  use  of  milk  is  where  the  child  is  nursed 
by  a  diseased  mother,  or  one  subject  to  fits  of  passion,  or  where  the 
mother  has  been  poisoned  by  food  or  medicine.  We  mention  these 
things  that  all  may  be  on  their  guard,  and  be  able  to  avoid  causes  oi 
disease  that  lurk  in  unsuspected  and  hidden  places. 

Cream. — Cream  is  a  liquid  food  of  great  richness,  especially  in  fat, 
and  pure  would  be  too  hearty  to  be  used  as  a  food  to  any  great  extent  j 


232  TEA. 

but  mixed  with  milk  it  forms  a  very  agreeable,  even  delicious  drink, 
and  for  persons  thin  in  flesh  and  run  down  in  health  it  may  often 
serve  important  uses,  especially  if  it  agrees  with  the  stomach.  Pur» 
cream  contains, 

Water 66.00  parts 


Nitrogenous 2.7 


Sugar 2.8  parts 

Fat 26.7      " 


A  mixture  of  cream  and  milk  and  oatmeal  forms  a  very  nourishing 
diet  for  consumptives,  and  those  with  little  animal  heat,  also  for  those 
who  use  little  or  no  animal  food. 

Buttermilk.— This  liquid  food  is  not  much  used  by  Americans,  but 
the  Germans  regard  it  with  great  favor.  It  contains  about  as  much 
nourishment  as  skim  milk.  It  is  poor  in  heat-giving  qualities,  but 
there  is  considerable  nitrogenous  matter  in  it.     Here  is  the  analysis  : 


Water 88.0 

Nitrogenous 4.1 


Sugar 3.6 

Fat.. 0.7 

Salts 6.8 

It  also  contains  lactic  acid,  which  is  believed  to  favor  digestion.  In 
some  forms  of  disease  a  buttermilk  diet  is  found  to  be  serviceable. 
It  is  better  adapted  to  the  fat  than  the  lean,  and  to  those  who  have  a 
superabundance  of  animal  heat  than  to  those  who  suffer  with  cold  feet 
and  hands  and  languid  circulation. 

TEA. 

So  much  has  been  written  on  the  use  of  tea,  pro  and  con,  that 
little  new  can  be  said.  Nevertheless  there  are  some  points  concern- 
ing this  question  not  yet  well  understood.     They  are  as  follows : 

1.  Tea  is  not  nutritious.  The  milk  and  sugar  put  into  the  cup  to 
give  it  flavor  has  a  real  value  as  a  food. 

3.  Nearly  all  teas,  whatever  their  price  or  name,  are  about  of  equal 
value  so  far  as  their  physiological  effects  are  concerned.  The  higher 
priced  sorts  have,  however,  a  much  more  delicate  flavor,  and  for  this 
reason  will  always  be  preferred. 

3.  That  tea  should,  when  used,  be  weighed  rather  than  measured, 
as  some  kinds  weigh  more  to  the  teaspoonful  than  others.  Oolong, 
for  instance,  weighs  40  grains  to  the  teaspoonful,  Congou  weighs  87, 
and  gunpowder  tea  weighs  125  grains  to  the  teaspoonful. 

Then,  too,  the  effects  of  tea  are  not  well  understood. 

1.  Tea  increases  the  amount  of  carbonic  acid  expired  from  the 
lungs. 

2.  It  increases  the  volume  of  air  inspired,  but  not  the  rapidity  of 
respiration,  consequently  it  must  increase  the  depth  of  inflation  of 
the  lungs. 

3.  Tea  tends  to  induce  perspiration,  especially  if  taken  hot. 

4.  Tea  excites  to  increased  action  the  muscular  system. 

5.  Tea  powerfully  excites  the  nervous  system. 

The  points  last  enumerated  accord  with  the  experience  of  a  ma- 
jority of  tea-drinkers,  and  if  the  subject  were  dropped  here,  the  im- 
pression would  be  very  favorable  to  the  use  of  this  beverage.  There 
B,  however,  another  side  to  be  considered.     It  has  been  found  that 


TEA.  233 

tea  is  not  nutritious,  and  that  it  actually  increases  the  waste  of  the 
system.  From  this  it  may  be  inferred  that  tea  is  not  a  good  drink  for 
those  who  are  dyspeptic  and  nervous,  or  those  in  which  the  waste  of 
tissue  is  already  more  rapid  than  the  supply.  Dr.  Edward  Smith  puts 
it  in  this  way  :  "  Tea  increases  waste,  since  it  promotes  the  transfor- 
mation of  food  without  supplying  any  nutriment,  and  increases  the 
loss  of  heat  without  supplying  fuel.  It  is,  therefore,  specially  adapted 
to  those  who  eat  too  much,  when  the  process  of  assimilation  should  be 
quickened,  but  is  less  adapted  to  the  poor,  the  ill-fed,  and  during 
fasting." 

Dr.  Smith  also  gives  the  following  as  the  generally  admitted  effects 
of  tea : 

1.  A  sense  of  wakefulness. 

2.  Clearness  of  mind  and  activity  of  thought  and  imagination. 
8.  Increased  disposition  to  make  exertion. 

4.  Reaction,  with  a  sense  of  exhaustion  following  the  preceding 
effects  and  in  proportion  to  them. 

Analysis  op  Tea. — The  active  principle  of  tea  is  a  substance  called 
theine.    One  hundred  parts  of  tea  contain  : 


Theine 2.00 

Casein 15.00 

Gum 18.00 

Sugar 3.00 

Tannin 26.25 


Starch 0.75 

Fat 4.00 

Vegetable  fiber 20.00 

Mineral  substances. . . .  5.00 

Water 5.00 


The  amount  of  theine  varies  from  two  to  six  per  cent.  The  chemical 
formula  for  theine  is  C".  H»".  N*.  0.«-i-H''0. 

Practical  Hints  Concerning  the  Use  of  Tea. — The  following 
hints  concerning  the  use  of  tea  may  prove  useful  : 

1.  Whoever  uses  tea  should  do  so  in  great  moderation. 

2.  It  should  form  a  part  of  the  meal,  but  never  be  taken  before  eat- 
ing, or  between  meals,  or  on  an  empty  stomach,  as  is  too  frequently 
done. 

3.  The  best  time  to  take  tea  is  after  a  hearty  meal. 

4.  Those  who  suffer  with  weak  nerves  should  never  take  it  at  all. 

5.  Those  who  are  troubled  with  inability  to  sleep  nights  should  not 
use  tea,  or  if  they  do,  take  it  only  in  the  morning. 

6.  Brain- workers  should  never  goad  on  their  brains  to  overwork 
on  the  stimulus  of  tea. 

7.  Children  and  the  young  should  not  use  tea. 

3.  The  overworked  and  under-fed  should  not  use  tea. 

9.  Tea  should  never  be  drunk  very  strong. 

10.  It  is  better  with  considerable  milk  and  sugar. 

11.  Its  use  should  at  once  be  abandoned  when  harm  comes  from  it. 

12.  Multitudes  of  diseases  come  from  the  excessive  use  of  tea,  and 
for  this  reason  those  who  cannot  use  it  without  going  to  excess  should 
not  use  it  at  all. 

Tea  and  Sick  Headache. — The  following,  from  the  Medical  Invea- 
tigator,  has  an  important  bearing  on  the  use  of  tea  :  "  Dr.  Gregg  pub- 
lished an  article  in  the  Homceapathic  Quarterly  on  tea,  as  a  cause  of 


234  TEA. 

sick  lieadache,  worthy  of  the  attentioji  of  those  who  suffer  with  thift 
common  malady.  The  doctor  there  alleges  that  this  beverage  is  the 
cause  of  more  cases  of  this  disease  than  any  other,  if  not  than  all  otliei 
causes  put  together,  and  gives  a  number  of  instances  where,  after 
leaving  off  its  use,  persons  who  had  previously  been  afflicted  were 
exempt  from  further  attacks.  One  evidence  the  doctor  gives  of  the 
injurious  effects  of  this  agent  is  the  fact  that  tea-drinkers  are  liable 
to  have  lieadache  if  they  omit  its  use  at  the  regular  times  of  taking  it, 
and  the  cessation  of  the  pain  on  again  resuming  their  cups.  This 
latter,  with  many  other  facts  contained  in  the  article,  have  often  been 
observed,  not  only  on  myself,  but  on  others,  for  I  had  inherited  the 
disease  from  my  mother.  It  had  been  the  plague  of  her  life,  as  well 
as  my  own.  We  had  both  been  not  excessive  but  regular  tea-drinkers ; 
and  though  she  lived  to  be  over  eighty  years  of  age,  she  was  never 
exempt  from  an  attack,  of  greater  or  less  severity,  for  more  than  a 
few  weeks  at  a  time,  for  a  period  of  nearly  or  quite  half  a  century. 
Knowing  this  fact,  and  that  from  my  earliest  recollection  I  had  been 
similarly  afflicted,  I  was  content,  when  the  pain  returned,  to  relieve  it 
with  the  appropriate  remedies,  with  little  thought  or  hope  of  ever  being 
able  to  eradicate  it.  Some  twenty  years  ago  I  had  abandoned  the  use  of 
coffee  and  green  teas,  using  only  the  black  and  Japan,  Pork,  pastry, 
spices,  acids,  and  most  kinds  of  raw  fruits  were  sure,  if  indulged  in, 
to  bring  on  an  attack  of  my  old  trouble ;  and  this  weakness  of  the 
stomach  seemed  to  be  gradually  on  the  increase,  besides  a  train  of 
nervous  symptoms,  such  as  sleeplessness,  palpitation  of  the  heart,  un- 
steadiness of  the  hand  when  writing,  etc.,  gave  me  no  little  annoyance. 
After  reading  the  article  referred  to,  I  concluded,  some  three  months 
ago,  to  use  no  more  tea,  substituting  in  its  stead  hot  water  with  a  little 
milk.  The  result,  for  the  first  week  or  ten  days,  was  much  as  I 
had  anticipated,  being,  during  the  whole  of  that  time,  scarcely  ever 
free  from  headache.  At  length  the  pain  became  lighter,  and  when  it 
did  return  was  of  short  duration.  My  nervous  symptoms  grew  less, 
palpitation  left  entirely,  my  stomach  became  much  stronger.  I  can 
now  eat  with  impunity  many  things  which  for  years  had  been  sure  to 
disagree.  The  headache  now  very  rarely  returns,  and  never  with 
severity  ;  besides,  within  the  past  two  months  my  weight  has  increased 
sixteen  pounds." 

Tea  and  Dyspepsia. — Where  there  is  any  tendency  to  dyspepsia, 
tea  aggravates  it,  and  many  cases  are  cured  by  disusing  it.  Dr.  Corfe 
mentions  a  cure  of  supposed  cancer  of  the  stomach,  cured  by  the  disuse 
of  tea.  Dr.  Milligan  mentions  a  person  who  could  never  use  tea  with- 
out experiencing  a  disposition  to  commit  suicide. 

Tea-Druitkaiids. — In  closing  what  is  to  be  said  about  tea,  one  word 
Beems  necessary  in  regard  to  tea-drunkards.  Their  number  is  legion  ; 
they  are  of  both  sexes,  but  more  of  women  than  of  men.  Instead  of 
using  tea  in  moderation,  or  as  an  occasional  beverage,  they  swill  it 
down  three  or  more  times  a  day,  in  quantities  that  are  incompatible 
with  health.  They  are  as  much  slaves  to  the  teapot  as  the  drunkard 
is  to  his  bottle.  They  are  tea-drunkards.  Tea,  in  anything  but  great 
moderation,  is  a  poison  capable  of  ruining  the  stomach,  enfeebling  and 


COCOA   AND   CHOCOLATE.  235 

disordering  the  heart's  action,  shattering  the  nerves,  and  ruining  the 
health  and  happiness  of  the  victim.  In  few  words,  without  holding 
that  the  use  of  tea  is  as  bad  as  the  use  of  alcoholic  liquors,  one  may 
well  believe  that  the  total  abstinence  reformers  have,  in  their  red-hot 
seal  against  rum,  encouraged  an  indulgence  in  tea-drinking  which  will 
one  day  have  to  be  fought  against  with  might  and  main,  to  prevent 
the  wholesale  ruin  of  multitudes.  A  tea-drunkard  may  be  defined  aa 
one  who  drinks  strong  tea  several  times  a  day,  who  depends  on  it 
instead  of  food  and  rest  for  strength,  and  who  cannot  go  without  it 
without  bringing  on  distressing  symptoms. 

COFFEE. 

The  active  principal  of  coffee  is  called  caffeine.     An  analysis  of  ont 
hundred  parts  of  raw  coffee  shows  the  following  to  be  its  composition  : 


Caffeine 1.00 

Casein 13.00 

Gum  and  sugar 55.05 

Fat 13.00 


Mineral  matter 6.07 

Acids 5.00 

Wood  fiber 34.00 

Water 12.00 


Caffeine  is  analogous  to  theine  in  composition  and  effects. 

Coffee  produces  effects  very  similar  to  tea,  and  the  same  general 
rules  are  applicable  for  its  use.  It,  like  tea,  powerfully  affects  the 
respiration,  increasing  the  quantity  of  carbonic  acid  expired  and  air 
inspired.  Coffee  differs  from  tea  in  its  effects  by  increasing  the  rate 
of  respiration  and  not  its  depth,  in  increasing  the  rate  of  pulsation, 
and  in  diminishing  the  action  of  the  skin.  Those  who  suffer  with  dry 
skin,  or  palpitation  of  the  heart,  or  heart  disease,  are  particularly 
liable  to  harm  from  the  continued  use  of  coffee  in  large  quantities.  It 
is  more  suited  to  the  wants  of  the  poor  and  debilitated  than  tea,  and 
is  more  appropriate  for  the  breakfast  meal  than  afterwards. 

COCOA  AND  CHOCOLATE 

Cocoa  and  chocolate  have,  for  their  active  principle,  the  obromine,  a 
substance  very  similar  to  caffeine  and  theine.  The  formula  for  theo> 
bromine  is  C  H«.  N*.  O^. 

The  analysis  of  the  cacao  bean  gives  in  100  parts  : 


Theobromine 0.56 

Cacao 6.61 

Cacao  butter 36.97 

Gluten 3.20 

Starch 0.55 

Gum 0.69 


Extractive  matter. ....     4.14 

Humic  acid 7.25 

Woody  Matter 30.00 

Salts 3.00 

Water 6.01 


Dr.  Edward  Smith,  to  whose  work  we  are  largely  indebted  for  out 
knowledge  of  tea,  coffee,  and  cocoa,  says  of  the  latter  substance  :  **  Its 
action  is  less  exciting  to  the  nervous  system  than  tea  or  coffee,  and  at 
the  same  time  it  contains  a  much  larger  portion  of  nutritive  material. 
Boiled  in  milk,  it  may  produce  a  most  agreeable  and  nutritious  food, 
and  for  very  many  persons  is  greatly  to  be  preferred  t  >  tea  or  coffee.* 


236  COCOA    AND    CHOCOLATE. 

Methods  of  Preparing  Tea,  Coffee,  and  Cocoa. 

Tea. — The  tlieine  of  tea  is  without  flavor.  This  depends  on  the 
aroma,  which  sliould  all  be  extracted  from  the  leaf.  The  dried  juices 
of  the  leaf,  on  the  other  hand,  should  not  be  extracted  further 
than  to  give  body  to  the  drink,  otherwise  it  will  be  bitter  and  the 
aroma  will  be  covered  up  or  hidden.  The  best  rule  to  secure  the  aroma 
and  not  too  much  of  the  body  is  to  put  the  tea  into  hot  water,  and 
keep  it  at  or  near  the  boiling  point  for  five  minutes.  If  cooked  longer 
than  this  the  aroma  will  be  dissipated,  more  theine  will  be  extracted 
and  the  tannin,  which  makes  tea  bitter,  will  be  in  excess.  The  best 
water  for  tea  is  pure  spring-water.  It  should  be  fresh  and  used  im- 
mediately after  boiling.  After  the  tea  is  cooked  it  should  be  strained 
and  kept  hot  till  used. 

Coffee. — Soyer's  mode  of  making  coffee  was  to  warm  the  powder 
over  the  fire  first,  then  to  pour  the  boiling  water  over  it ;  cover  it  closely 
for  five  minutes,  strain  it,  and  boil  again  for  use.  French  coffee  is 
made  by  adding  a  pint  of  made  coffee  to  a  pint  of  boiling  milk  and 
warming  them  both  together,  but  not  letting  them  boil  too  long. 

Chocolate. — Cut  a  cake  of  chocolate  in  very  small  pieces,  boil  a 
pint  of  water,  when  it  is  at  the  boiling  point  add  the  chocolate  ;  mill 
it  off  the  fire  till  quite  melted,  then  place  it  on  a  gentle  fire  till  it 
boils.  Pour  into  a  basin  and  it  will  keep  for  teu  days.  When  required, 
put  a  spoonful  or  two  into  fresh  milk.  b;>il  it  with  sugar  and  mix  well. 
Mill  to  a  fine  froth  and  se\  «• 

Cocoa. — It  made  from  the  ribs,  boil  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  them 
in  three  quarts  of  water  to  two  quarts  and  a  half.  The  ribs  to  be 
strained  after  five  hours'  boiling.  If  made  from  paste  or  powder,  use 
one  and  a  half  teaspoonf  ul  of  cocoa  to  a  cup  of  boiling  milk.  Sugar 
to  taste.  Or  one  and  a  half  teaspoonf  ul  of  cocoa,  three  quarters  of 
a  cupful  of  boiling  water.  Sugar  to  taste  and  fill  the  cup  with 
milk. 

Conclusion. 

Some  hygienists  will  find  much  fault  that  we  have  not  condemned 
entirely  the  use  of  tea  and  coffee,  but  though  we  never  use  them  our- 
selves, we  have  thought  best  to  give  the  results  of  late  scientific  stud- 
ies on  the  subject,  and  such  cautions  regarding  their  use  as  will  enable 
those  who  do  use  them  to  do  so  with  as  little  harm  as  possible.  If 
asked  what  is  the  proper  amount  of  these  drinks  for  each  day,  we 
should  say,  do  not  exceed  one  cup  of  tea  or  coffee,  and  at  farthest  two 
of  cocoa  or  chocolate. 

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